Draumer Edda: A Yule Christmas
by ElGato44
Summary: As Christmastime looms, Balder is acting a little strange. The Norse gods are also hiding a very bleak reality and Yui aims to find out.
1. Prose 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the these characters, they belong to history, mythology, religion, and in some respects Broccoli.**  
**Note from Author: Where to start. Yes there is some mention of modern religions that people practice today (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc.). Please note that although they are used in this story as a trigger of a bigger conflict, I do not intend to pose them in any negative light but more take a historical reference between the modern religion and the older gods. If that makes sense. I guess, to sum it up: I do not mean any offense.**

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Prose 1

The seasons were in order…supposedly. It was late in the year, about the time a chill would grip the gods and the snow would dot the soft cloudy sky. But Zeus being Zeus would have none of the wonders of a winter wonderland. The gods of the North were used to this by now. That didn't mean they liked it.

_Veturland_…

Spring and Winter were a big deal to most cultures and specifically to the Norse. But to be deprived of what to them made winter…winter really got to them. At least their dorms could be converted to replicate that of a snowbound Scandinavian land. But to Loki it felt hollow.

"We need to see if we can't get Ahollon to convince his pops to give us the real thing," Loki moaned to Thor, who said nothing.

The two stood by the outside of the school waiting for the bell to ring for class. Thor kept Loki close. Loki just needed to go to one more class before the end of the year and shirk probation, which wasn't…pleasant.

"Hey, you two."

The two turned and found their human classmate and pseudo-mentor, Yui Kusanagi. She had a wide smile on her face and papers in her hands. She approached them, glad to see that Loki was at least in the vicinity of the school.

"What is this? More homework," Loki whined before nudging Thor. "That I won't do."

"No," Yui shook her head, "I know Zeus wants to hold a Winter Solstice festival, and wanted some ideas."

"And? A marathon of naked Greek wrestlers? No thanks."

"W-wait? What?"

Loki nodded and mouthed, "Trust me. That's what they do."

"What is your idea?" Thor finally spoke.

Yui handed him the papers. Thor's expression didn't change, but he said softly, "Yule?"

"Well, generally humans celebrate the Solstice on the 25th of December and they have Christmas trees and hollies and mistletoe—"

"No mistletoe!" Loki and Thor said in unison. Yui shook her head, cursing herself for forgetting.

"Oh, right, sorry I forgot. No mistletoe—"

"That's not something you'd forget—" Loki complained before being cut off.

"Gift exchanges and a holiday meal. You know. Christmas."

Loki crossed his arms and inhaled looking concerned.

"I thought you guys would like it…"

"It's not about liking—"

Thor nudged him and the look he gave Loki read "Shut up."

The bell rang, signaling that the students needed to get to class.

"Alright, Loki, make sure you're in class," Yui said, wondering what the grim faces were about.

Did she make a mistake? She had heard Apollo talk her ear off about Winter Solstice festivities. If the gods like him were only exposed to naked men getting in very awkward positions in the name of Zeus as celebration of winter then there was little wonder they had limited knowledge of the modern human.

Apollo was ecstatic to have something new, and he was always curious about what the Norse…did. Balder didn't do much "Norse-like" things in front of them. With the exception of No-Shave November—and interesting story in and of itself and all but confirmed that the Norse gods were pretty hairy…all over—Balder always seemed to go with the flow of the current trend.

Tsukito didn't seem to care about it much. He may have been glad of a change, but it was hard to tell. He was willing to aid in setting the idea up. Balder must have heard the idea but he hadn't said anything about it. At least not to her. He was how he usually was.

Days went by and everyone "seemed" to be on board for a Christmas themed Solstice. But it became clear as the class filed in for the day's lesson, that at least one god felt…uncomfortable.

Thoth started the lesson by putting symbols on the board: a crescent, a star, and a cross.

Immediately Loki's rather smarmy face froze, his jaw quivering. He stared at the back of Balder's head trying to get a read on his friend.

"Today we will be discussing the modern human belief system. With the upcoming Christmas celebration we will be briefly discussing the Abrahamic system and its braches," the instructor pointed to the symbols, "Islam, Judaism, and Christianity."

Loki raised his hand and didn't even bother to be called upon to say anything, "Hey, is this really necessary? Can't we learn something else like…what they do to get rid of goiters or something?"

Thoth pounded on the table, "Yes, Dunce. Humans evolve, people's beliefs change, and culture changes with it. Now either pay attention or be stuck here forever."

That seemed to do the trick as Loki shut his mouth and leaned back in his seat, hands clenched on the desktop in tight fists.

"Now," Thoth continued, "The first of the Abrahamic belief system arose from the Middle East, called as such after the founder Abraham. Most modern humans call this first concrete system Judaism…"

The first session of the class seemed to be going well, but Yui took note of Loki's rather anxious expression. As if he was anticipating something…bad. She had seen it in the past when boys who were caught doing something bad in class would sink in their seat and hunch their shoulders like a tortoise retracting its head into its shell.

Thor seemed even stiffer than usual, his mouth working as it seemed it was dry. And Balder…he may have had some facial ticks, a rigid posture, or something but something seemed…off.

Yet it wasn't until Thoth uttered the words, "It was around this time that the sect of beliefs evolved into what is now called Christianity…" when the strange body language became noticeable. Especially to Dionysus.

Dionysus zoned out during most classes, but this lesson at the very least sounded interesting, despite the rather dull voice relaying the lesson. Human culture? It was so…undefined. A mix of everything to create one unique thing. Like a fine wine.

And yet, once Thoth went into a captivating story about a son of God creating a set of principles that the world would attempt to follow, the blond god next to him reacted like he had an agonizing itch to scratch. Balder's breathing increased only slightly but enough for Dionysus to realize that something wasn't quite right.

It seemed that Balder's attention span was shrinking by the moment. He would glance out the window at the sky, at the clock, at the board, everywhere. Dionysus gave it a pause, before turning back to the lesson, thinking it was just Balder anxious to leave. Perhaps he had to use the bathroom. Dionysus remained moderately tuned to the lesson, until Thoth drew a map on the board of the world.

"It was around this time, with the rapid expansion of the Late Roman Empire, that Christianity spread to the north…"

Balder's nails scratched the surface of the desk as he clenched it into a tight fist, as Thoth colored in the areas of the Eurasia region that the particular religion spread, including the North Seas, Britannica, and Scandinavia.

Balder closed his blue eyes, the dull tone of Thoth fading into a muffled rumble. An uncomfortable blistering swell developed in the back of his head and in his chest. Better to ignore. He found himself staring at that image of a cross with a mixture of emotions that he so desperately wanted to keep in check.

As ringing began to penetrate his ears, Thoth let out a rather resounding, "Now."

Balder snapped out of his rather embarrassing stupor as Thoth moved on.

"Much later, arose Islam…"

The pressure seemed to lift and Balder became all aware of Loki gently rubbing a small portion of his back with the end of his pen, as if trying to soothe him. The storm passed…or so it seemed.

Finally Thoth finished the lesson abruptly, and began erasing the chalkboard as the students readily filed out. Loki and Thor left to start their "Going Home Club" activities-whatever they were, and Yui followed them to ask more questions about their cryptic conversation before class.

Meanwhile Apollo held Balder back, "You know, Bal-Bal, Loki-Loki keeps on hitting me with charmed paper cranes. He wants me to do the impossible and convince Zeus to let it snow."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault. Besides, he's right. Dad has to realize that a good portion of world associates Winter Solstice with cold and snow. But telling that is next to impossible without him jumping to the conclusion that you are criticizing his very existence."

"He goes that far?"

"It's partially true. Thor's a way better god of lightning and thunder than my dad since he spends most of his time...you know," Apollo admitted and gave Balder a strange look.

"Know what?" Balder responded.

Apollo stared at his friend and shook his head, "Really? Sexual innuendo is lost on you?"

They noticed Thoth still organizing his books, growling internally at the two of them.

Apollo nodded at Thoth, "What's cookin' good lookin'"

"What?" the grumpy God of Wisdom glared up at Apollo.

"Nevermind, Thoth."

Thoth gave his student a pointed and disapproving look. Apollo rolled his eyes and corrected himself, "Thoth-sama."

"Better," Thoth pushed a sheet towards them. "This is the sign up for the activities during the holidays. Basically you all will be helping getting this place ready for the winter holidays. It's the duty of the student council."

Apollo analyzed the sheet with a cheery smile on his face, "Great!"

"Not so fast. It is your challenge to get all the gods to sign."

Balder and Apollo paused. It didn't sound like a big deal, but something in Thoth's tone showed that there may be an extra challenge.

"Umm…okay," Apollo said sheepishly.

"There are other gods in the gardens now."

"What!?" the gods in the classroom turned incredulously to their instructor.

"W-what do you mean 'other' gods."

Thoth smirked. Boy did he love to see his students quake in their boots, "Zeus has been doing a few Supreme Gods some favors. Taking particularly bothersome issues and…incarcerating them."

"To learn about humans," Apollo finished. Thoth shook his white head, "No. They won't be in classes with you lot. They are imprisoned here as punishment for the whole year. And then…after evaluation, they may learn what is taught here and return home."

Takeru nudged his brother, "Good to know we aren't the worst gods in the world."

"Yes, you twit!" Thoth yelled. "You lot are terrible gods. These new gods are here for causing trouble within their respective pantheons, not neglecting their duties. There are four of them, and if you want the Solstice festivities to be complete you must get them to participate. As well as everyone else."

Apollo glanced at the paper, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the "new" challenge ahead. Might as well start with the easy part.

"Regardless, I guess I should sign," Apollo scratched his name onto the parchment and handed the quill to Balder to do the same.

As Balder leaned over to sign, a song began playing over the voice system of the school. Soft angelic voices of a choir with a clear female voice began singing and it caused the gods to pause.

'_Christmas comes anew, oh let us sing Noel_

_Glory to God, now let your praises swell._

_Sing the Noel, to Christ the newborn King…'_

Apollo's eyes widened, paying little attention to the lyrics, "Who is this goddess singing? It's like an orgy in my ears, it is so glorious."

"Julie Andrews. And yes I have to agree," Thoth replied, for once voicing his pleasure for…something.

Neither of them noticed Balder going stiff. His jaw set tight as he straightened, "What is this?"

Apollo turned, hit by the darkness of his voice, "What?"

"This song?" Balder seemed to be getting restless. "I hate this song."

Balder's voice was shaking in fury as he stared directly at Thoth, "Turn it off."

Thoth shook his head, "I don't control what's played. And don't insult Julie Andrews. She is a saint."

"I don't give a damn, just turn it OFF!" Balder's restlessness became white-hot fury as he violently knocked the papers and objects off the desk.

Apollo was stunned, "Balder, calm down…"

He made the mistake of touching Balder…

Outside in the hallway, Yui met up with Loki who was followed closely by Thor.

"If you think we're gonna take time to convert this place into a Christmas town you can forget it," Loki replied immediately before Yui could say anything.

"I don't get it. Is this offensive in some way?"

"No." Thor said over Loki's "Yes."

"Well then how do Northmen celebrate winter?"

"Quietly, by ourselves," Loki said with a toothy smile. "I mean as in we Norse gods have our own little celebrations. No Japanese humans allowed."

Loki was teasing, trying to get Yui upset, but a song started playing in the hallway. Loki and Thor looked at each other, the distinct look of fear in their eyes.

"Oh listen, Zeus actually listened to my idea."

"This was your idea?" Thor said, worry blazing in his normally stoic eyes.

"Yeah, why?"

They didn't answer, but Loki gave an exasperated "Oh shit!" before sprinting down the hallway towards the classroom. They burst through the doors of the class to see it a mess. The front desk where Thoth was sitting was overturned with the God of Wisdom on the floor with a bloody lip. Apollo, Takeru, and Hades were all trying to wrestle with…Balder?

"Balder!" Loki yelled, as Balder elbowed little Takeru square in the face with a bloody crunch. Loki and Thor grabbed Balder to take him away from the other damaged and confused gods.

"Get off me!" he yelled, his eyes blank gold and crazed. He hadn't turned into his god form yet, but it was Loki's fear that in one step he would...and then nothing would go right.

Loki and Thor were at a loss of what to do. It was impossible to hurt him, but Balder was unnaturally strong for his size, even for a god. He grabbed Loki's arm and flung him to the ground and slammed his foot on Loki's shoulder. Loki cried out in pain and hearing the cry Thor solidified his hold on Balder pulled them both to ground. Thor wound his arms around Balder's neck and arms and pinned him in a submissive hold. Thor couldn't do much to harm him, but it was his hope that Balder's energy would wind down enough to calm him down.

Loki recovered but winced and got close to his friend, whispering in both common language and in a mixture of Scandinavian, "Balder, its over. That song is over."

Balder's struggling slowed, but Thor was getting tired, so Hades, who may not have been big but was tall, used his weight to help Thor out.

"Would a sedative work on him?" Hades asked.

"No idea," Loki breathed, "But right now I don't want to find out unless we have to."

Balder's breathing evened out and almost went full stop. His eyes once flashing in anger and rage, were now unfocused and drowsy. He quieted and stilled, going limp and numb. Thor nudged Hades, motioning for him to get off and that he had it under control. Thor grabbed Balder by the back cuff of his uniform and pulled him up, immediately helping him out of the hall without further contact to anyone else in the classroom.

And then, silence. Uncomfortable silence. Perhaps some heavy breathing.

Yui had her hand over her mouth in shock at what she had seen. Apollo looked like he thought he was in some surreal dream, Takeru and Thoth were nursing their wounds and Hades was torn on what to do next. Even Tsukito's mouth hung open. Loki was the only one who dared to move. With labored breath he stomped towards the doors where Thor took Balder, but paused beside Yui, giving her a practically hateful glare.

"You WILL get Zeus to stop playing that crap over the PA."

Loki moved on without an explanation. He's known for saying teasing things but never ever having a vicious bite. Nothing about what happened, was normal.

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**A/N: There is SOME humor in this story, hence the Julie Andrews reference. I like to imagine the gods worshipping her voice.**  
**The song referenced is her version of "Noel Nouvelet." Any suggestions on how to move on is welcome.**

**Party On.**


	2. Prose 2

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**

**Note: I know this is 'T' rated but this chapter does contain coarse language. I tend not to consider the occasional F-bomb to warrant an 'M' rating, but I know some do. So if you don't like bad language just box your ears.**

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Prose 2

Hours later, Balder found himself very alone and in front of Zeus' office. He didn't necessarily fear Zeus' wrath. But he certainly didn't want Zeus to have a reason to start bullying him like he does his own kin. Though according to Apollo, Zeus was afraid of two people. One, was Athena, his own daughter. The other, was Odin. To be fair, a lot of people feared Odin, especially in his monstrosity of a god form. And Odin had a weird knack of knowing everything that occurs. Everything. Balder once had to explain to Apollo about Huginn and Muninn, Odin's ravens of thought and mind, who aided in his omnipotence, but by that time Apollo was just lost.

Although Odin was nothing but loving towards him, Balder had a healthy fear of his father. He worried about what something like the incident in the main hall would cause Odin to react. The last thing anyone needed was two Supreme Gods—one known for having a terrible temper and the other…an asshole—fighting it out across the skies. No. Best to put on a brave face, confront the problem directly instead of dragging the entirety of Asgard into the school and making a bigger mess.

He took a deep breath, trying to quell his anxiety. Can't lose his mind in front of Zeus. It would be like a gazelle snoozing in a den of lions. He knocked lightly on the ivory door.

"Enter," came a deep abrupt voice.

Balder opened the door and found Zeus looking over some papers.

"Balder. Sit down."

He obeyed and sat across from Zeus, a tad surprised he wasn't struck down immediately. Not that it would do much. Zeus arched an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.

"Do you know why you're here?"

"I have an idea," Balder admitted softly.

"Yeah," Zeus said with an ounce of shock in his voice, he glanced over at a report on his desk, "Giving Thoth a black eye and busted lip. I'll honest, I don't know whether to punish you or reward you."

Any other god would have felt a swell of pride that Zeus seemed impressed. Balder didn't, instead he felt ice and cold. He didn't know of the damage done until it was told to him.

"But on Takeru Totsuka. Students attacking students I can't allow. For integrities' sake, but…" Zeus leaned forward, steepling his fingers. "You."

"Of all of those gods, you losing control is a big problem apparently, rare as it happens," Zeus continued, stroking his beard. His short beard, Balder thought.

"I'm still in control," Balder assured, "It's just…"

He scratched the back of his head and shifted in his seat, running his tongue over his lips nervously. He was getting anxious now. He didn't want to feel anxious or restless, but those horrible feelings were gripping his body like a vice.

"A massive problem with Julie Andrews? How is that possible? She makes the Muses cry."

"No," Balder said with an ounce of exasperated breath, "I don't have a problem with Julie Andrews or her, apparently phenomenal, singing."

"The time is it?" Zeus said and Balder glanced up. Did Zeus know? He had to.

Zeus folded his hands in front of him and leaned forward, "Whatever the issue is, that doesn't excuse what happened. I suggest you find a way to resolve it. Which brings me to my second concern…"

Zeus paused staring Balder's stony face, "I rather not tell your father. If it's his problem it will quickly become everyone else's, but I will if I have to. Unless you think dragging the Raven God into this mess is a good idea, I will give you two options. You can either voluntarily suspend yourself or you can go about your daily business with minotaurs, sphinxes, and whatever the hell else I can think of to monitor your every move, every blink. Your choice."

The choice was quite clear. Balder didn't even have to voice it.

"What does suspension entail?" he asked.

Zeus nodded and looked slightly relieved, "You don't go to classes or participate in activities. You stay at your dorm until the suspension is lifted. You can ask your fellow classmates for notes and homework to keep up."

"What about tutoring?"

"Tutoring?" Zeus raised and eyebrow, "Any extra learning activities not within the grounds of the school are still available. So if your tutor goes to your dorm for study sessions, that is not included in the suspension."

Balder breathed in a relieved breath and nodded.

Zeus regarded the sullen and dulled god of light with as much pity as he was used to giving. Which wasn't a lot.

"I'm sorry Balder. But I'm sure you see the necessity of this punishment."

Balder did. Of course he did. But that didn't mean he had to like it. Balder didn't go to classes that day, as per his punishment, and to be frank, he was glad. He didn't think he could face anyone at the moment. He stayed in his dorm, in his room, trying to gather enough will to just fall asleep and drift away. Trying to nap proved difficult as his waking dreams filled his head with vague memories of fire and battle. Not battling gods. Worse. Humans. Humans in armor marching straight to a wooden temple, setting it a blaze. Axes falling on heads. Two worlds colliding with a splash of blood.

He rolled on his stomach and peered out the window at the head of his bed. It looked chilly, but it wasn't snowing. At this time of year at home it always snowed and despite the cold, Balder never felt warmer, but wandering in the human realm of winter he felt a deadly chill.

Thor and Loki finished classes and headed straight to their dorm house. The lights were off, usually an indication that Balder wasn't home, but Balder's school bag on the table proved otherwise.

"Balder?" Loki called through the dorm with concern creeping in his throat, but Thor wisely pulled him from running upstairs to check on their kin.

"Let it alone, for now," he said in his usual quiet voice, before turning to the kitchens.

"What are _you _doing then?" Loki glared accusingly at his friend. "Besides, surprisingly, avoiding conflict."

Thor wasn't fazed, "Making dinner. I have a rotisserie in the oven. That could cheer him up."

Loki shut his mouth. An intense part of him wanted to go up and see if Balder was alright. Loki understood his outburst, but there wasn't much that could help him get over this hump.

Loki sat on the couch, gnawing at the end of his pen, ignoring his homework for the moment, as Thor busied himself with making dinner. He found his eyes glancing up at the staircase, hoping Balder would show. Loki didn't like to worry, but when it comes to Balder, he found himself worrying more than he should. Sure, he played tricks, knowing Balder didn't give a damn, but the only opinion Loki cared for was Balder's.

He…

Loki's thoughts were interrupted when Thor pulled out some pie to let it cool on the kitchen counter. His tongue wanted some of that sugar. He crept up to the counter, wanting just a bite. He grabbed the nearby spoon and plunged it into the pie, trying to hide his face on the other side of the counter, but Thor caught him giving him a stony stare. Loki froze and Thor said nothing.

Thor nodded, giving the barest of smiles, "Go on right ahead."

Loki thought it was weird that Thor would straight up give him permission to take a bite out of his freshly baked pie before the rest of dinner was ready. Staring straight into Thor's eyes, Loki took a bite. He chewed it once before cringing and spitting it out.

"Aw, shit, that's hot."

"Yeah?"

"Son of a—. You did that on purpose, Thor! And they call me the conniving trickster."

Thor could've chuckled to himself, but he didn't, "I didn't _trick_ you into doing anything. I just allowed you to make your own mistake."

Loki looked ready to retort, but was silenced when Balder resolutely came down the steps, wearing black sweatpants, and a dark gray hooded sweatshirt and knit cap. He didn't say much as he adjusted his cap (which he tucked his long blond hair in) and opened the door, stepping outside.

Neither Loki nor Thor could get a word in and just watched as their fellow Norse god stepped into the chilly, but still snowless outdoors.

Outside, Balder jogged, loosening his long legs. Bad idea since he tripped and fell every 20 feet or so but he had to get out. He couldn't sleep or take a nap, but he hadn't been able to clear his mind. He found walks and jogging did the trick in the few moments in his life that he just had to get away. He just let the Norse treated landscape fill his eyes, as hollow and fake as it was. He could smell the pine though. Fresh, clean, but biting. It melded well with the chilled air. Cool morning air and autumn and winter air were refreshing to his lungs. He often liked to relax on his ship in the early morning and breath in the air of the new day. Or of a dying year. In winter, instead of on his ship, he preferred the company of family, by an open hearth, wine and beer flowing with laughter, the soft gentleness of winter outside.

To most, winter seemed cold and harsh. Balder was one of the few who saw winter as warm, soft, gentle, comforting. He refused to see it as anything but. However, a particular celebration brought on uncomfortable memories.

The soft white of his breath puffed out with each labored exhale he took. It flowed out so easily in the cold air, like smoke. Like the smoke coming from the pipes and cigars his uncles, brothers, and even aunts and sisters, puffed on occasion.

Maybe that was it. Maybe he should take a leave of absence. He was suspended anyway, why should he remain here? Unless Zeus truly wanted to imprison them, that should be allowed right? Maybe some time away could fix his moodiness during these times, but it certainly wouldn't stop the _Christmas_ celebration. The very thought caused uncertain feelings well up in his chest. It was Yui Kusanagi's idea. It wasn't her fault. The idea was reasonable. It was how a good portion of the humans celebrated the Solstice, religiously motivated or not, but did she not know what the customs she associates with "Christmas" comes from?

He paused at the edge of the hill, glancing at the half-frozen lake, placing his hands on his knees, taking a few deep breaths to gather enough wind to jog back. He glanced at the dorm house. The sky was darkening and the lights of the house were shining through the windows. Smoke was rising through the chimney.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes, and began the slow jog back.

Yui didn't know. If it really bothered him he probably should've spoken up. He didn't think it bothered him so much. When Apollo told him of what Yui wanted he was amenable to the idea. It was much of how he celebrated the Solstice. But, hearing that music…

_And we are the Heathen gods._

Inside, Balder felt fear. His disease. If he could barely keep it now, how would he cope being away from home, hearing devotional music to a god that had little to do with Solstice. And with _her_ being the catalyst.

All the more reason to ask for a leave of absence and go to Asgard for the remainder of his suspension. Certainly Zeus was powerful enough that when time was up he could drag him back to school.

Thor finally set out the rotisserie to complete his dinner. Loki already grabbed a plate and sat at the table. Thor, being courteous to Balder, already set out a plate for him—with an extra chicken leg in hopes it would lighten his mood.

"I may not go to class tomorrow," Loki said bluntly, shoving potatoes into his mouth. Thor sighed. There was nothing he could do if Loki decided not to go to class. But it was affecting Thor's own grades. Thor saw it his job to keep watch over Loki, and to make sure he didn't go too overboard with his…tricks. Invariably, though, it meant running around after him everywhere he went. So if Loki didn't go to class, neither did Thor.

Loki could tell by the look of Thor's face, that the God of Thunder was disappointed.

"I can't go!" he exclaimed. "I should stay here and make sure Balder's okay."

"Loki," Thor said softly. "Balder is a man-god. Let him handle things on his own. Trust me, he prefers it that way."

Thor may not have been a cunning or persuasive man by nature, but for Loki's benefit and Balder's, he could find verbal work arounds.

"And he would hate it if he thought his problems were adversely affecting your, or your ability to graduate."

Loki clicked his tongue in disapproval, face souring on Thor's lame attempt to get him to class. Before he could come back with a retort, the door opened and Balder came back, face red from the exercise and chill outside. He didn't say a thing as he wandered over to the plate Thor laid out for him on the kitchen counter and grabbed it.

"I'm…going to take this upstairs," he said, walking with his plate upstairs to his room, before anyone could say otherwise. Thor and Loki were silent for the rest of their meals, both minds on their blond friend.

After dinner, Loki didn't help Thor with the dishes. Instead he went upstairs, despite Thor telling him to leave well enough alone. He knocked on Balder's door and opened it, not waiting for an invitation, which he usually got anyway. Balder was laying on his side on his bed, a book in front of him, his empty dinner plate on his desk, next to an unfinished pipe carved out of a birch branch. Balder was just in his pair of black sweatpants and was wearing a white t-shirt, his expression stony, but on Loki.

"Hey…" Loki whispered…for some reason. Balder's thick brow arched as he replied with a lackluster, "Hi."

"Can I come in?" A moot question since Loki already opened his door unannounced.

Balder didn't say otherwise and shifted his eyes to his book. Loki flinched. Balder unresponsive was an odd thing to work through. Especially since everyone was so used to him being open and inviting.

He entered, reaching over to pull Balder's chair out from under his desk, so Loki could sit next to Balder's bed. Balder, however, had his back turned, so Loki was forced to talk to the back of Balder's head.

"Are you okay?"

Balder shifted, "What do you think?"

Of course Loki knew the answer, but he at least liked that Balder didn't lie and say that nothing was wrong. Loki knew that Balder didn't want to be here at the moment. Hell, he didn't want to be here either but they all had to go through with it.

Loki reached out and put his hand on Balder's shoulder, showing that he understood. His fingertips squeezed the muscle and bone of his shoulder and his thumb was unconsciously pressing circles against his shoulder blade. If Loki thought he went too far in his physical display of care, Balder didn't say anything, or he was too oblivious to.

"Hey, it'll be alright, Balder. These things…happen."

At that Balder shut his book with a snap and rolled over on his back and finally glanced at Loki, "Breaking down?"

Loki bit his lip, "I meant homesickness…and…well, bad memory recall."

Balder exhaled, and at that he seemed less closed off, "In a way I'm glad I am suspended. If I let a little song get to me like that, who knows what will happen."

"It won't happen again right?"

Balder shook his head, "No it won't. But still…the others."

Loki scoffed, "Screw what the others think. Just come back and be yourself."

The pleading tone had a hint of prayer and desperation. Something Balder picked up on but didn't address. His lips thinned in thought. Loki sighed and tapped his friend's leg.

"If you want to talk about it, you can talk to me. You know that right?"

Balder nodded briefly and swallowed as if he were about to say something, but instead he turned back to his book wanting another distraction. Loki took this as his cue to leave.

Thor did his business, finishing his homework and going to bed. Loki followed. Before going in their separate directions Loki thought to check up on Balder. He and Thor opened his door to see if he was still alright. Balder's lights were still on and he was in the same position on his bed asleep, with whatever he was reading beside him. He must've fallen asleep reading. Loki stared long and hard, trying to find any sign of distress, but thankfully Balder was fine it seemed.

Thor tapped his shoulder, "Come on, let him sleep."

"Okay, okay," Loki whispered, shaking Thor off. Thor closed Balder's door and the two gods headed to their separate rooms to sleep for the night.

* * *

**A/N: I forgot to mention that there will be other gods in this story. Not really OC's by my depictions of them are my own.**


	3. Prose 3

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1.**

**Note from Author: I am basing this story on my own plot and the characters are based on the game...not the anime, since recently they've decided to...change...some things about the characters in the show.**

* * *

Prose 3:

The next day gave the Norse plenty of nerves. They tried to avoid the obvious question, but no one addressed it. Which would have been fine, if Apollo would stop giving them anxious glances and staring confused at Balder's empty seat. One thing was for certain: the absence of Balder most certainly did not go unnoticed. Of course leave it to the human to bring it up.

"Guys, where's Balder?"

Loki cringed but answered, "He's not coming to class."

"He has to—"

"It's a voluntary suspension," Loki clarified and that only seemed to confuse Yui more.

"Voluntary?"

"It's where you suspend yourself…in a way," Hades clarified. "It's self-punishment. Better than flagellation, I suppose."

"Or a way of shaming," Loki said under his breath. Perhaps Balder was right in suspending himself. These wary looks from almighty gods made him uncomfortable. For Yui, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Zeus' rather improvised version of "punishment". Clearly he didn't know much about the disciplinary methods of human schools. Then again these weren't ordinary humans, so maybe different methods were needed for gods.

Yui asked Hades, "For how long?"

No one knew, judging by the shrugging. The only one who had a response was Takeru, who was still smarting and obviously pissed about yesterday. His nose was horrendously bandaged and the bruising spread to under his eyes. He tried to forget what Balder did to him, but when he woke up to find his face looking like a lost plumb, he wasn't so keen on forgiving.

"I don't care when that simple-minded bumpkin comes back," the small god said gravely.

Obviously those were fighting words. Loki immediately stood from his seat, "What was that, Shorty? A bumpkin is he?"

Takeru met his challenge by standing up and defending his words, "Yes, a ham-fisted dumb ox."

"Take that back, kid. You've got no idea—"

"Do I not!" Takeru shouted back and the class stood from their seats, poised to break up a fight should one start. Takeru made a point by rubbing his bandaged nose. "I don't know why we should be surprised."

"Excuse me?" Loki's tone was deadly and normally a lesser god would shiver upon hearing such a tone.

Takeru's face however, remained sour, his flustering over being beaten down quickly turning to anger. He stared directly at Loki not flinching. Not backing down.

"The people you govern…"

"Uh oh…" Yui heard Apollo say under his breath as if Takeru had broken some sacred rule.

In truth, there was no rule against gods slinging insults on the people who worshiped them. But some gods who may not have minded a personal insult would go rabid with anger at having their worshipers insulted. The standard unwritten rule was that the people were off limits.

"…are complete savages."

And Takeru broke it. Oddly, Loki wasn't too upset with the insult on his subjects…but to equate Balder to such activity made his gut sour. That's what made Balder so different in the eyes of the gods and the Norse. He was the opposite of what the common Northman stereotype was. Rather than shoot back a list of facts about his "savage" people, Loki candidly placed his hands on his hips.

"Oh really?"

Takeru nodded glancing around at the dismayed other gods who all groaned inwardly.

Takeru was fiery, "Yessir. Those Norse folk you rule…they are…" he turned to the rest to make a point , "…more often than not." He turned back to Loki. "Are big, loud, hairy, dirty pig farmers who get so worked up over how the sun revolves around the earth decided to use his fists to answer his confusion. Notice here Loki? All of us here are known for putting up huge progressive civilizations. Whereas your Norse do what? Sit on their frozen asses ice fishing all day, not knowing when they are numb enough to come in out of the cold. Perhaps your boyfriend has too much of a frozen skull to even think where he's punchin'!"

Loki jumped towards the sea god prepared to attack, but Thor wrapped his arm around his neck and pulled him back, "Loki, enough! It's not worth it!"

"Dammit! You heard what he said!" insulting his subjects or even himself, but Loki wasn't going to let anyone smear Balder right in front of him.

"Guys!" Yui thrust herself between the two gods, Takeru now being held by Hades, face red with hunger to strike the trickster god. "Come on, get back in your seats and Takeru, leave Balder alone."

She turned to Loki with equal fury, "And he don't mean anything by it, he's just blowing off steam. Now just back into your corners and…be strange by yourselves."

The room settled, but the atmosphere was tense. Yui struggled to make it through the lesson. The gods didn't seem to be paying much attention, their thoughts on the tension the last few days. It was almost better if someone snapped and just raged out their feelings. Finally, the gods were let out. Yui, however, stopped both Thor and Loki.

"Hey, you two," she said, gathering her books. Both Norse glanced at her with grim faces, itching to leave. Even Thor's brow was scrunched together, as if he too wanted to avoid the obvious.

_Be a god, Thor. Solve your own problems. Getting others involved isn't a fitting solution for a god._

Leave it for his fearsome father, Odin All-Father, to instill a sense of independence, despite the all Norse being close as brothers and sisters. Confiding in others may have been the preference of the other gods, but not to Thor and Balder, or even Loki.

_Leave her out of this._

Yui stared up at him and then to Loki, "Is Balder really okay?"

"He's fine," was Loki's rigid response. "What's it to you anyway?"

"I'm just concerned. I didn't mean to upset him, had I known…"

"It doesn't matter," Loki cut her off. Yui flinched. Had she really offended them that much? No one had yet told her what caused Balder to snap like an enraged bull.

"Either way, do you know the terms of his suspension?"

Loki's rigid posture eased slightly and he arched an eyebrow, "Terms?"

Yui nodded, "Yes. What can he do, and what can he not do. I know in school you aren't allowed to go to classes for a few days. Like an out of school detention."

Loki explained to Yui what a voluntary suspension entailed. Balder could not go to classes and could not engage in extracurricular.

"What about tutoring?" she asked.

"Meaning?" Loki begged on, confused about what she meant.

Yui shrugged and smirked slightly in amusement, "Balder likes to meet up with me every other day so he can learn about Japanese culture."

"Hunh?"

Yui nodded, "I know right? But he's fascinated. Takeru is obviously not going to teach him anything about Japan now, and Tsukito—"

"I get the picture…I didn't know you guys had private sessions?"

"Just a few for only an hour, Apollo joins in every once in a while."

Suddenly it dawned on Loki. A sneaking suspicion of what his friend was up to. Balder, while not the sharpest tool in the shed in social situations, he was quite academic. He got good grades and as far as Loki knew, he wasn't struggling with trying to understand humans. Was he? And why the hell did he like the Japanese culture?

_What the hell goes on in your head, boy?_

"He cannot step on school grounds," Thor reiterated, but there was a pause in his voice indicating that there was more. He ignored Loki vigorously shaking his head to shut up, and continued, "But as far as I know, as long as he's not on school grounds, study sessions are permitted."

To Loki's surprise, Yui smiled, "Oh! Well that's good. I'll come over tomorrow night to give him notes."

Loki was about to deny her invitation, but Thor pulled him out of the classroom, saying quickly, "Very good. See you then, Kusanagi."

Throughout the day, Balder went through many phases. He woke up feeling good about himself, but with nothing much to do and all his friends in class his thoughts pulled back into anxiety. He resolved that anxiety with exercise, learning how humans developed their body. He jogged, did push ups, and pull ups on the banister. Afterwards he was so exhausted that he took a nap. He woke up feeling better again. That was until a knock came at his door.

Apollo stood out in the front swaying on his feet, the conjured chill surrounding the Norse dormitory quickly numbing his body. How do these men deal with this cold? Obviously humans dress in layers during winter but these gods were sometimes seen in only underwear doing housework in this blistering cold.

_Hairy ass bodies,_ Dionysus told him once. He assumed it was a joke until that silly No-Shave November joke Loki pulled.

But the large pile of wood outside told him that even these Norse gods needed something to help them during the icy cold winters.

The door in front of him opened, and Balder peeked outside, "Apollo?"

"Hi Bal-Bal," the cheery god greeted. He waited for Balder to respond back, but it was obvious the other god wasn't sure how he should respond.

"Hi," Balder let door open a bit more. He paused, silently cursing himself for not being a good host to a freezing god, "Would you like to come in?"

Apollo took a few steps towards the door, feeling the warm air from the inside lessen the chill he was feeling, "No, I cannot stay long. I'm sorry. Ze—Father told me to give you this."

The Sun God reached inside his jacket and pulled out a letter. Immediately, Balder swallowed, not sure if he wanted to see the inside. Regardless, rather than have Apollo wait, he took it, "Thank you Apollo."

After a brief pause, Apollo shoved his hands in his pockets, "Did you hear about Loki?"

_What now?_ Loki did many things that annoyed people and they would all come to him, as if Balder could do anything about it, "What did he do this time?"

"He and Take-Take almost got into a fight," Apollo said and still Balder didn't think it was new news. Loki and Takeru were always at odds.

"I guess with this much tension it was bound to happen, but I never thought Loki-Loki would resort to fisticuffs," Apollo casually continued but it grabbed Balder's attention. "Well, it scared me, but luckily nothing happened. Anyway, I'd better get going. I'm starting to lose feeling in my nose."

Balder and Apollo exchanged goodbyes and Balder retreated back inside, shaking his head. Now he had two things to deal with. What the hell was Loki thinking? Balder glanced at the letter in his hand and turned it over, breaking the golden seal.

_Balder Hringhorni_

Your request for a leave of absence has been reviewed. Unfortunately, it has been determined that you are not to step out of this facility until you graduate-

Balder didn't read the rest and dropped it on the kitchen table, his hand gripping the back of the nearby chair. Why should he be surprised? There was no way Zeus was going to make things easier for him. Dammit.

He was barely conscious of the back of the chair cracking under his tightening grip. He tried breathing, but the reality that he was stuck here even in 'punishment' sent a spider bite poison burning through his chest and before he knew it, his consciousness switched off and he slammed the chair on the ground so hard that it splintered into pieces.

He rubbed his eyes after his mini black out, terrified. He just wanted to go home. Home he could keep things under control better. He hadn't had much of a problem keeping his emotions in check until coming here.

_Don't think Balder. Don't think._

Perhaps a bath would ease his mind.

Thor and Loki returned from class, both relieved to be out of school. Even Thor was getting annoyed with all the hesitant looks he was getting. Plus the extra harshness from Thoth whose eye was still a nasty purple. Of course, Loki didn't make things any better by calling attention to it. All Thor wanted was to relax in his home.

They opened the door and Loki immediately caught sight of the mess. A single chair in splinters next to the table.

"Well…that's new," Loki said in a sarcastically cheerful tone.

Thor bit back a holler at the obvious culprit and rested his suitcase on the table, picking up the letter lying there.

"You know," said Loki trying to make light of everything, "if you squint it could be some modern pop art trend."

Thor passed the letter to Loki and they pieced together why their blond friend decided to destroy one of their chairs.

"Damn him," Loki hissed as Thor bent down to pick up the pieces, "Zeus…ergh! I'll slit his throat in his sleep."

Thor rolled his eyes at the very empty threat, but froze when Balder descended the stairs, looking and smelling clean. He took one sour look at Loki and went straight for the kitchen.

"Hey, Balder—"

"I don't want to talk to you right now. I'm very angry with you," said Balder as he opened the fridge and pulled out what Loki assumed was somewhat of an alcoholic drink.

"What? What did I do?"

He slammed the bottle on the counter, "What were you thinking getting in a fight with Takeru Totsuka? Are you hell bent in getting all the Norse gods expelled?"

Loki's ears flushed defensively, "You didn't hear what he said about you-"

"I DON'T CARE LOKI!" Balder raised his voice to a roar, beautiful blue eyes flashing. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Even Thor stopped from his gathering, shocked at hear such a tone. It was a joke in Asgard that Balder didn't really resemble his father very much in personality and in looks, but in those flashes of rage everyone could see Odin inside that temper. The flashing of the blue eyes, the vein in his neck popping, he could've been a twin to the Raven God when the latter was flustered. Of course there were parallels. Thor and Loki knew the mighty Supreme God of the North had a long threshold, like Balder, but when that temper snapped it was…terrifying.

Balder took a deep breath and continued, "I don't need you to fight my battles for me."

Loki was hesitant to say anything else, but whatever he said, he wasn't going to yell. That would just make Balder more defensive.

"Okay, I'm sorry," he whispered softly, feeling hot sweat forming on the back of his neck.

Instead of shouting back, Balder ran a hand over his face, covering his eyes and biting his lip.

"No, I'm sorry," he said, his voice lowering as he braced himself on the counter. "I shouldn't take my issues out on you. I'm sorry."

Normally, Loki would've smiled, relieved, but not this time. This was becoming an issue and try as he might to prevent the inevitable, it would only make things worse. For now, he had to put on a brave face, and hope and pray to whatever gods pray to that Balder's haywire emotions would pass with the seasons.

"It's alright," he said, watching as Balder ripped the top off the bottle with his bare hands.

Balder nodded, "I want to be alone right now, but I'll be in my room if you need me."

After Balder left, Thor finally eased out of his frozen state and finished picking up the last of the wood.

"What are going to do Loki?"

"What do you mean?"

Of course he knew what Thor meant, but he just hoped that Thor would just avoid it like the plague. The God of Thunder tucked the wood under his arm, giving Loki a rather pointed look with his calm eyes.

Immediately, Loki shook his head refusing to even think of that option, "I will not go that far. Not now."

"But what if there's no choice."

"NO!" Loki yelled. "I don't want to do this anyways, and I sure as hell do not want to do that during Yule."

Thor kept himself tight-lipped. There was no use in arguing. Inside he cursed himself for thinking about such a thing, but every so often he felt he had to remind Loki of fate…and fate's horrible joke it's played on their lives.

Opening the refrigerator, Loki muttered to himself, "Ugh, I could use a stiff drink."

Thor unfortunately gave him more bad news, "I think Balder took the last ale. All that's left is crappy beer and Tang."

Loki ducked down to examine the contents of the refrigerator more closely, "That bastard. First he destroys our furniture and takes our good stuff." Loki paused before laughing to himself, "Heh, our Scandinavian subjects would be proud. Tang it is then."

* * *

**A/N: It's kind of a head canon that talking about worshippers were "off-limits". I imagine with different cultures in one place there is bound to be some tension about 'others'. Especially if one culture is known for wreaking havoc across several countries :)**


	4. Prose 4

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**

**Note from Author: Once again these characters are based on what the Broccoli game (i.e the original) described them, not what the anime decided to throw on the dart board.(Yes, I'm going to be a game purist here.)  
**

**Also, there are references (albeit vaguely worded) to Norse connections to other religions, so there is a rather...umm...not kind view of a historical period involving Christianity in the way it relates to the events at hand. Again, its only a reference, not a critique. If you are offended, it is never my intention to undermine it as a faith, but more to see it from the perspective of clashing gods during a rather turbulent time period  
**

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Prose 4:

The second day of not having Balder in class was a little better. The gods had accepted their friend wasn't coming for a while, as such the lesson went off without a hitch. For once.

Loki was distracted, not listening, thinking about his friend cooped up in their dorms. That had to be boring. Hell, he was bored not having him around to have fun with. He wondered what Balder was doing alone in his room-wait no scratch that. He DIDN'T wonder that. Loki didn't realize his face flushing at the thought.

Finally Thoth finished his lesson on—indoor plumbing or whatever the hell he was teaching, and Loki wasted very little time in finally losing Thor for the day and skipped out to find greener pastures. Literally.

He headed towards the south side of campus where the weather was a little warmer to relax by the tree and gaze at the clouds in the sky. On the other hand, Loki wished Balder and Thor were here with him. They'd find shapes in the clouds, and Loki was known for finding the most inventive shapes in them, but now, he just saw them as clouds. White balls of fluff.

He pouted angrily, not hearing footsteps stop near his head.

"Hey, trickster," the voice above him was deep. Loki tipped his head back further seeing a short god in a green sweatshirt. Takeru Totsuka's nose looked a little better and his eyes didn't look like it took a gorilla punch anymore.

"I'm not in the mood to fight," Loki said, hoping the sea god would just leave.

"I'm not here to fight. I'm here to apologize."

That caused Loki to sit up and turn his head, his eyes wide and incredulous.

Immediately, Takeru cut Loki off from making a sarcastic remark. "Don't ruin this with a wise-crack."

"I'm not," Loki replied, "What are you apologizing to me for? You didn't call me a 'red-neck idiot'"

"Actually 'simple-minded bumpkin' but that's beside the point," Takeru sat down next to his nemesis. "I'm not apologizing about that. I'm apologizing about what I said about your people."

Loki shook his head. He rather he apologize about what he said about Balder. Then again why should he? He was punched in the nose and Balder never had a chance to apologize. If there was some way to explain it.

Luckily, Takeru broke the chilly ice that surrounded that topic.

"Why exactly did Balder snap? It seems…unlike him."

"It is and it isn't," Loki replied, perhaps with too much of a bite in his tone as Takeru flinched noticeably. "He likes to keep calm. He likes to smile and laugh. That much I know."

"I see."

"But, a few things upset him and he lashes out."

"Is that the truth?" Takeru asked just in case. Loki was known for being a liar. Would he lie about his fellow Norse friend to protect him?

Loki faced Takeru, eyes burning, his voice barely above a whisper, "Yes."

Takeru seemed satisfied with that answer. Or he didn't want to push. Normally he wouldn't care, but the Norse were strangely quiet. Oddly serious. Something wasn't right.

"You've got others living near you people, right?" Loki asked out of the blue.

"What? What do you mean?"

"You've got them…Chinese gods living around your area. Or is it Buddha?" Loki clarified, staring up at the clouds.

Takeru paused, his brow furrowed, but answered hesitantly, "Well…yeah. They keep watch over Japan with us. We generally work together in so many uncertain terms, but mind our space."

"Lucky," Loki murmured. "We clashed."

Loki seemed to be purposely vague and instead of getting frustrated, Takeru asked on. "Who?"

Loki gestured with his arms, spreading them wide open, "Everyone of us. Celtic, Gaelic, Saxon…."

He paused and finished with a surprisingly fearful tone, "…Christian Gods."

For Takeru, who was listening to Loki, watching as he seemed to be talking to himself. He wasn't curious about what he was talking about one bit, but maybe just sitting and listen to Loki get something off his chest would help.

"Not that I've met any of the New Age gods, but I've been acquainted with their followers. The old gods, well, I'm sure they'd have a few 'pleasant' things to say about us. Oh sure, we'd clash and fight and clash again, until one of us was raw, our weapons and curiosity splintered. But I tell you, the Celtic and Gaelic deities were calling upon us when they were in trouble. The spread of new religions and new faiths pushed them to the brink of madness."

_What the hell is he on about? _Takeru thought to himself, slightly afraid he unwittingly pulled a screw lose in Loki's head.

"I don't mind them really," Loki continued. "I don't mind their followers either. Any of those gods. But the fighting and the bribing…from our people and theirs…a naïve god like Balder saw that with absolute disgust. He was just stepping into contact with humans and he saw that mess…"

The red-haired god snapped his fingers loudly, "He turned back around, not wanting any part of it. Not that I blame him. You are right, Totsuka."

Takeru blinked hearing his last name, "I am?"

"The people we are in charge of are violent. But they say violence begets violence, and their enemies, whomever they may be, tried to one-up their violence. Before any of us knew it our entire region became one giant bloody mess. But someone has to ring victorious."

Loki shook his head and stood up, dusting his dungarees off. He turned and patted Takeru's head, "Can you guess who won?"

The smaller god wasn't sure if he had to answer. Yet, before he could utter a word, Loki shoved his hands and stalked off, leaving Takeru bewildered over what he just heard. He tried to pick the maddening mumblings apart, hoping to get an answer to his question, but he found none.

"What the hell was that all about?"

That evening, Yui took the uphill trek to the chilly Norse dorm, holding her suitcase of notes and books she was reading for ideas for Christmas. She never recalled going to the Norse dorm. She's stopped by the Greek dorms, and would practice kendo with Takeru at their dorm, but she never set foot near the Norse. She didn't want to avoid them, that's for certain, but she was never invited and never had a reason to go.

Well now she did. If she were honest, she was curious. Although she heard from Dionysus that they probably had smelly gym socks everywhere, one look at where they lived she imagined it to be…rustic. Not the marble and stone pillars that formed the Greek dorm, nor the rather simplified rice-paper and wood design of the Japanese gods.

A forest surrounded the Norse area and she could smell the distinct scent of pine. Yui reached the stone steps leading up to the wooden cottage that was the Norse dorm. She knocked on the door once and immediately could hear Thor and Loki bicker.

"Loki, someone's at the door."

"You get it."

"I'm making dinner. Open it, it could be Apollo with a message from Zeus."

"Fine."

Yui waited as she heard the handle of the door turn and the door open. Loki took one look at her and rolled his eyes, "No, it's just a 5'2" single Japanese human woman with a bad haircut."

Yui bit her lip and rolled her eyes, "Knock it off Loki. I'm here to catch Balder up. Or are you doing that for me?"

In the back they heard Thor give a short bark of laughter.

"I don't know. Did you make an appointment?" the red-head shot back.

"Come on, Loki. I walked all the way up here. Can't you at least be civil?"

"Civil?" Loki laughed aloud. "I'm supposed to let you in our sacred home and harass us with more _Christmastime _glee?"

"Loki!" Thor threatened and Loki hung his head, standing aside.

"Fine, come in."

Yui was right about the Norse dorm. It appeared to have a nice rustic look to it. Homey and warm, with wood and handcrafted items everywhere. A huge fireplace was the centerpiece and it looked like it was used often. And, no, it didn't smell like sweaty gym socks. It smelled earthy and smoky. Not an unpleasant smell.

"Where's Balder," she asked. Yui didn't see the blond god anywhere in the foyer.

"Probably up in his room," Loki sighed and she followed him up the staircase to where the rooms were. He stopped by the middle room and knocked on the door.

"Balder, open up, someone's here to see you."

Loki paused, waiting, but there was no answer. He pounded on the door again, "Come on Balder. Open this door."

Still no answer.

"Don't make me give you the belt," Loki threatened lightly, his voice deep and scratchy, impersonating an overbearing father.

Loki gave up and put his hand on the handle, and whispered to himself, "If there's a dead body behind this door, I swear…"

The door was unlocked and it opened easily, but the room was empty.

"Where'd he go?" Loki asked before calling over the banister to Thor, "Hey, Thor. Have you seen Balder?"

"No," Thor called back.

"Well he's not in his room," Loki replied. "He's like a bull in a glass shop, he doesn't ever exactly _sneak_ anywhere."

"Have you tried his ship?" said Thor, noncommittally.

"No."

Loki sighed and led Yui to the back porch were there was a walkway towards the lake behind the dorm. The darkness of night was closing in, but luckily torches were lit along the steps down to the dock.

"It should be docked. Not hard to miss," Loki said, ignoring the look Thor was giving. It was obvious Thor wanted Loki to escort her to the ship, but the God of Mischief wanted nothing to do with…whatever Yui was going to do with Balder. At most he wanted to be there for Balder, in case the human girl said something stupid.

Before he could decide what to do, Yui opened the sliding glass door to the porch and descended the steps to the dock. The ship she saw was long and made entirely of wood, but seemed expertly crafted with care. Yui remembered reading somewhere that the Norse folk were expert craftsmen. They may not have been noted to make gigantic monuments like the Greeks, but when it comes to technology, they seemed ahead of their time, making wooden ships sturdy enough to traverse the violent seas of the north and reaching all ends of the globe.

She ascended the wooden board that connected the dock to the ship. Yui never been on a ship before, and hearing the soft lake wash against the ship, the gentle rocking was both comforting and exhilarating. Once aboard, she realized the ship was rather simplistic in design. One long base with a tent covering the middle section before the bow and stern drew up into a winding head of a dragon. The mast was down, leaving it look slightly bare. Curious, Yui ducked under the tarp, stepping down a step, but was immediately awed at what was underneath.

The inside must've been magically conjured because it looked like a small quaint room you'd find in the cabin of a normal ship, mostly wooden of course, with a desk, chest and drawers and a small makeshift bed covered in animal pelts. She spotted Balder sitting at the desk, working hard at something intricate, with only a small candle to work by. He didn't seem to notice her enter. She could see why. He seemed so focused on what he was doing.

Yui cautiously took one step and called his name, "Balder."

Balder jerked violently, startled, his eyes wide.

Yui held her hand out in an easing gesture, "I-I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you."

His rapid breathing stopped, and he held his hand over his chest, as if to calm the beating of his overactive heart, "Y-Yui? Wh-what are you doing here?"

Never had she heard him stammer so horribly. She remembered him so sure of his words and rather eloquent if not known to say a few funny things. But by the way he was speaking, you'd think he was born with a speech problem.

"I'm just giving you some notes so you can keep up," she replied, lifting her bag.

"O-oh. Thank you."

Yui however didn't open her bag, but instead glanced at the desk to see what he was working on. It seemed to be jewelry making. Or some type of accessory making. She saw shiny wires taped to the desk, looking like they've been woven into knots.

"What are you working on?" she asked leaning over.

Balder turned back to the bits of metal and answered, "A little Viking knit jewelry."

"That's incredible," she said in awe, getting a closer work at how intricate and delicate the weaving was despite it being metal. "And that's all metal?"

Balder nodded, "I'm not good with crafts. Loki is way better at craft making than I am. But I do enjoy it. I get a little too immersed though."

Yui laughed, "So? If its something you enjoy, it's okay to be invested."

The blond god gave a lopsided smile, but refused to look directly at her. He nervously scratched the back of his head and motioned to the bed, "Would you like to sit down? I don't have another chair, but you can sit on the bed."

"Sure," Yui sat on the rather hard bed. It seemed underused and rough, but the feel of the fur underneath her fingertips felt really good. Perhaps on cold nights like these, the fur blankets provided comfort. Enough comfort for her to remain where she was as Balder seemed to struggle to say anything else or carry on a conversation. He ran his sweaty palms on his trousers, rocking in his seat.

"I…er…don't have any food here. I can run up and get some. O-or you can go up and get some and stay—"

"Balder."

"Yes?" he replied nervously.

"Have you been sleeping well?" she asked, taking a better look at his rather exhausted and jittery appearance. The Norse god sighed and hung his head before a light shake told her the answer.

"Okay," she said softly at the answer. "Then, can you tell me why?"

"You know why," he replied darkly. Surely Loki or Thor told her.

"No I don't, but I want to know. I didn't mean to offend anyone. If Christmas bothered you, you should've said something."

Balder scoffed, "And see your disappointed face? No."

"What my face says shouldn't matter. If you don't like it you should've told me. You can't carry on and say things are okay when they really aren't," Yui tried hard not to scold him, but it was frustrating that a simple "I'm not comfortable with this" would've stopped Takeru's and Thoth's face from being busted open and Balder from being suspended. "What is wrong with Christmas anyways?"

Balder sighed and focused on the candle on his desk, "You are asking us to do a Yule celebration but call it Christmas. A celebration that was supposed to be in honor of my brother but attribute it to a foreign god. I am forced to recall the destruction of my temple and Loki's and Thor's. The perpetrators called it 'Christmas' as well."

He was being vague, somewhat purposefully. How could he express the complex feelings he had for this time of year? Yui seemed to diverge from the bigger picture and asked, "You have a brother?"

Balder blinked but smiled, looking briefly happy for once in a while, "Yes. My twin. Hödr. He is the God of Darkness and brings winter. We are twins but I was born in spring and he was born in winter, on the Solstice. We celebrate his birth on the Solstice every year."

Rather than be confused over the technicalities of twins being born in separate months, Yui preferred to stay in his comfort zone, "Does he look like you?"

Balder laughed, "We are fraternal twins—I believe that is the term—and no we don't look very much alike. Hödr works hard every year. Even though people don't generally like what he does, he does his duty faithfully."

Yui watched as pride brightened in Balder's face as he talked about Hödr. He spoke almost as if he envied his younger twin's work ethic, and the steadfast power he held in bringing the seasons in order, whilst he, most likely was fooling around in Loki and Thor's exploits.

"Whatever I feel about how humans celebrate this season, just seeing him and making him happy for just one day, is what I look forward to," he took a deep breath. "And now I won't be able to celebrate it with him."

"You miss him."

"Yes," he admitted. "I'm glad I have my best friends with me. But because Hödr spends most of his time in seclusion, I don't see him often anyway."

He sniffed politely and turned back to his metal weaving, "But that's neither here nor there—"

"But that song. The caroling? What does that have to do with anything? You reacted to THAT specifically."

"I just get upset when I hear praises sung to another in place of my brother and all other gods who bring about winter and Yule. I know it sounds foolish and myopic and most of all selfish…"

He glanced over his shoulder at the human girl on the bed. _His _bed. She was rubbing her arms and seemed a little cold.

"But…" he stood and finished, "I take my family and friends seriously."

"I know you do," she replied with the barest of smiles.

"Are you cold?" he asked, giving her his full attention.

"A little but—"

"Here," Balder strode over to the end the bed and opened the trunk. He pulled out a large thick cloak that looked to be made of the fur of some large animal, like a bear or boar, "Put this on."

He held it out to her as if he was about to place it on her shoulders, but she stopped him, "N-no I can't."

Balder looked confused, if not hurt.

"It's just a little—" _Intimate? _Is that the word she was looking for? Hell she was on his bed, but for heaven's sake a coat was just too much? Gods if she can't separate platonic gestures from intimate ones there is no way any of the gods she was with was going to learn how to love. "It isn't right to take your coat."

"Is that a human thing?" he asked.

"No, it's a…cultural thing," she lied.

"I didn't know," he replied. "Where I'm from it is considered good manners to offer clothing to guests. Because of, you know, the cold."

This gave Yui pause. She regarded the blond god as he folded the heavy pelt over his arm prepared to return it to the chest. Perhaps she was being selfish and narrow-minded. If she was to represent humanity, shouldn't she at least be immersed in some of the other customs around the world?

"Wait. Maybe I could take it. If it's proper etiquette."

Balder smiled and laid the pelt over her shoulders gently. The pelt was heavy, like lead was lined in it. She couldn't imagine anyone walking or doing much activity with this over their shoulders, but perhaps the Norse were hearty enough to endure it. That aside, she felt undeniably warm and cozy, the chill disappearing almost immediately. She drew the fuzzy pelt tighter around herself, now only moderately mortified at the reality that this was once part of a living being.

"I just realized," she said softly. "You always ask me questions about Japan and Japanese society, but I know nothing about your culture."

Balder's lips were set in a grim line, "Why do you want to know about my culture?"

"Why not? It's only fair. Besides, until now I've never seen or heard you guys talk much about Norse culture."

Balder laughed lightly, "Yui, you're on a long ship wearing a bear pelt. It can't get any Norse than that."

"I suppose I need a goblet of grog to make this perfect," she joked.

Balder shrugged, "More like a drinking horn of mead, but yes."

Both exchanged a small bout of laughter and Balder never felt more at ease in these past few days. He knew he could trust her for a long time, but he feared that he would be judged for having such complicated feelings. The other gods no doubt judged him. Even his friends didn't seem to fully understand. Did he want them to though?

"I almost forgot!" Yui reached over, fumbling in her bag before pulling out a worn green book. "I picked this out from the library trying to get some ideas for myself, but I think maybe you should read this."

Balder took the book out of her hands and read the title with a hint of disappointment, "_A Christmas Carol?_ Yui…"

She held up her hand, "I know, I know, but I think reading it will give you an idea on how people view Christmas. Apart from commercialism that is. Many celebrate it for religious purposes yes, but a lot like to see other reasons the celebrate the holidays. Maybe this book can give you a better idea."

Balder glanced at the cover, frowning, perplexed. The title sounded like what the carols over the PA were going to give him. Yet, Yui sounded so adamant that the book would help.

"Is this a pamphlet? Or a glossary?"

Yui shook her head, "No, it's a novel. Humans consider it a literary classic."

"Charles Dickens," he read the author's name slowly. "What an odd name."

"It's British."

"British?"

"He's from England."

"England?"

Modern geography really clashed with the geography Thoth taught. What did he call England? What region did he attribute England with? Yui tried to wrack her brain to call it something he would recognize.

"England…oh wait. You mean the Anglo-Saxons?" he asked.

"Er, I guess. He's much later so I don't think he's technically Anglo-Saxon."

"Regardless, if you recommend it, then I shall read it."

Yui nodded in success and reached into her bag again to pull out a notebook and pen, poised to take notes. "Now…tell me more about how you guys celebrate Yule."

* * *

**A/N: Technically England as a country was more called Britannica, but I think the Norse only really attribute it to Anglo-Saxons (they did have several settlements there). Hödr had to be mentioned. It is technically unknown what he is the god of, but there is some speculation that he may have been a god attributed to darkness and winter in contrast to Balder's light and spring. Honestly, I didn't know how to end this chapter so it seems a little cut-off.**

**Also, shameless plug here, this will be a two-part series. Which is sad, because I have a good portion of the second story already mapped out (just have to figure out how to end it).**


	5. Prose 5

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1.**

* * *

Prose 5:

It was incredible really. It was incredible that a simple chat could make him feel so good. Balder felt uncommonly blessed to provide Yui Kusanagi with answers to her questions about him. Strange that such a blessing could come from a human. He didn't know, but perhaps his problems were easier for a human to understand on an emotional level rather than a god. Especially the "your problems are your own" mentality of the Norse.

And as such Balder wanted to make things right. He couldn't step on the grounds to apologize to those he assaulted, but he could apologize to Loki. Yet, Loki seemed to be on his last straw, that when Balder apologized he scoffed it off. Hurt, Balder tried desperately to make it up to a pouting, red-faced Loki who just shrugged it off like a child.

"There's no need to apologize," Loki kept insisting with annoyance on his face. Although Balder had a tough time understanding nonverbal signals, he's known Loki for years and could at least sense when he was upset.

Especially when Loki decided to stay in his room, despite Thor and Balder trying to get him to hang out with them. Loki was punishing Balder. Not directly of course and Thor was only one who took the hint.

The day was surprisingly frozen, given Zeus' love for warm and cool, but never cold weather. Still no snow, but the lake behind their dorm was frozen solid. Balder reminded himself to break apart the ice around the dock and his ship, but more importantly, he wanted to experience to the frozen lake with his steadfast friend. What better way to celebrate the comfortable cold than with an old past time.

Balder pounded on Loki's door with the hard heel of his hand.

"Come on, Loki. It's a perfect day for ice fishing."

"No," was the abrupt childish answer from the other side of the door.

"But…ice fishing…"

"No, Balder. You know normally I would do as you ask without question, but I'm putting my foot down."

Balder pressed his palm up to the door and called back, "Loki don't make me do this."

"Do what? Bash down the door? That's not anything surprising anymore."

"No," Balder took a deep breath, and uttered in a strangely husky and deep voice.

"_Berserker._"

"No."

"_Breidablik_."

"Stop it."

"_Reykjavik_."

"Don't do this…"

"_Hringhorni._"

"Dammit…"

"_Fjord._"

Loki then unlocked and flung his door open, his face red with annoyance and embarrassment, "Dammit, Balder, you KNOW how saying those words in a Scandinavian accent gets me all flustered!" Loki puffed and stomped past his best friend down the stairs to get ready, "Fine! Let me get my snow suit on."

Balder was right, the lake was frozen completely over and although there was no snow, the weather was bitter cold enough to warrant some two-piece snowsuits. Loki and Balder walked out on the frozen lake to near the very center, their breaths forming mist in the bitter air.

Loki carried the lines while Balder carried the buckets, drink cooler, chairs and drill.

"I don't know why you convinced me to come out here," Loki complained.

"Because I need to start enjoying the outdoors again," Balder explained. "Besides, it brings back old memories."

"Old unsophisticated memories," Loki rambled. "Seriously Balder, do you even know me? I don't hunt, I don't fish, I don't build houses or ships, or whatever you and Thor think is manly these days. I'm a finer man. Sweating my armpits off is not my thing-"

"-Loki."

"A little crafting for practical jokes, I can do. I at least have some calluses on my hands. Same as your rope burns. I thought you'd be the same, dancing that Hallingdans* for no reason but to show off you can-"

"-Loki."

"-jump up eight feet and kick off a hat to try to impress some girls. Does the human know you can jump that high? Eh, fuck that. Most of us can fly."

"Loki!"

"What!?" Loki broke free of his entranced rant, blinking at his friend. Balder had the drill set above the ice staring at him with a twinge of impatience.

"Help me drill," Balder said holding the drill upright, ready for Loki to take the other end.

"Right."

Balder started the drill and with Loki's help cut a hole in the ice wide enough to see a few of the fish swim around underneath. Loki watched with distaste the little underwater creatures swim around, minding their own business.

His nose wrinkled, "I hate fish."

"I guess we could do something else if you want," Balder said with a twinge of disappointment in his voice. In truth he was confused. If Loki hated fish, why did he always go fishing with them as kids back home? Perhaps Balder was being selfish with Loki.

"Fishing I'm fine with," Loki said, lightly punching his friend in the arm and reaching into the pocket of his jacket, "As long as you take the hook out. It's just the smell I hate."

He placed a pair of nose plugs on his nose with a smile. Loki glanced back down at the hole watching the fish swim more. In a way he felt pity for them. Such guideless creatures.

"In some ways I feel bad for them though. I mean they don't hurt anyone. They just sit there, swim, eat, and mate. Not thinking, not analyzing."

"Loki," Balder said softly as he stared down in the hole as well, "I think I'm a fish."

Loki was caught by his friends' voice. He sounded so down on himself. Balder may have let his temper run his emotions but he was highly aware of his negative personality traits and tried his best to overcome them. Yet to hear Balder's low self-esteem drop further into the proverbial ice-fishing hole, bothered Loki.

The red-haired god laughed, "You wish you were a fish."

Balder blinked at his friend, looking confused.

"No, you aren't a fish. Hrmm," Loki scratched the mole on his chin in thought. "I always thought you were like a bear. Big, clumsy and awkward, and hairy as well."

Loki proved his last point by patting Balder's unshaven cheek affectionately, "But really there are so many animals you could be. Though I have to say…you are a stag."

Balder's heavy eyebrows drew together, "A stag?"

"Yes," Loki said unfolding the chairs and setting them on the ice, "A stag."

"I don't get it."

"Well…yes you aren't very graceful but you are very in tune with nature," Loki admitted, wondering how deep of compliments he could go without it sounding awkward. "Princely I suppose in some respects. Rulers of their forest domain. Proud and handsome. Docile for the most part, but not without a protective side."

Loki saw as Balder's face softened in mild astonishment at being compared to such a creature.

"Plus, during mating season their necks swell up, like yours does whenever you go around meat."

Balder let out a loud, full-blown laugh. Loki had never seen him laugh so hard in recent months and it was a sight to see. The laugh lines of his eyes and jaw crinkling, his white teeth showing, blue eyes sparkling. Balder brought his arm back and cuffed Loki's back enthusiastically, causing the poor smaller god to stagger from the over exuberant force, "Loki you never cease to make me smile."

Loki blushed horribly, feeling the warmth he usually received from Balder return. Balder didn't seem to notice Loki blush and sat back in his chair, going about setting his hook and line. Loki slowly did the same.

"So what would I be?"

His blond friend shrugged, "You're many things Loki."

His rather dull response annoyed him. Loki wanted to know what Balder thought of him badly. He doubted it was anything negative, but it would still help him understand how Balder thought of him.

"Come on Balder," he whined. "I told you what you were. What am I?"

Balder regarded Loki, biting his chapped lower lip, thinking the best he could. For a moment, Loki was worried Balder was thinking of a response that would make him happy, not what he actually felt.

"Be honest."

"You're a scarlet king snake."

Well…that was…somewhat expected. Loki was always called a serpent or equated to a snake, but he thought since Balder never ran from him, that he viewed him differently. But even Loki couldn't expect so much as to have Balder view him as anything but sneaky or slithering. "What? I give you a gallant stag and you give me a snake?"

"A scarlet king snake," Balder clarified.

"So?"

"I read about them in a book. You see they have the same stripes and colors of another snake that is venomous, the coral snake. So, other animals run away from them because they think they are venomous, but really they are harmless and generally friendly. And really, really cool."

Loki's tongue felt heavy in his mouth, feeling emotion swell in his gut. Of course Balder would come up with that answer. Why did he expect anything else? Why did he doubt Balder?

"You think I'm cool, hunh?" was all Loki could say, hiding the fact that he was strangely and deeply touched by Balder's rather eccentric comparison.

"Of course!" Balder laughed again.

Loki hid his flushed cheeks by reaching over and opening the cooler, "Balder, all I got is Tang and crappy beer, since you took the last of the ale."

Balder gave a ponderous look, "I don't think I did."

"Yes you did. There's none left, if you want to check," Loki said as he tossed Balder some of the "crappy beer".

"Did you ask Thor?"

"Yes."

"And he didn't have any?"

"What do you mean?"

Balder ripped off the top of the bottle and answered casually, "Yeah, he keeps a stash in his room."

Loki stared his friend wide-eyed, his mouth gaping like a fish, "W-w-wha-? That bastard!"

He reached in and pulled out some Tang, resting against his chair, not paying nearly as much attention to his line as Balder was, who kept tugging every once in a while to set the hook in the mouth of some idiotic fish.

"Just as well. I'd hate to end up like the blistering drunk you two are going to end up being," he remarked bitterly sucking the straw of his juice. Balder of course just smiled, not taking the insult to heart as usual. Loki smiled back patting his arm, "So do you think you're ready to go back to class?"

"Well," Balder jutted his chin out and scratched his stubble, "I need to clean myself up—"

"Which takes like two seconds for you—"

"I suppose I am ready, but I'd rather keep away for a few more days. Just in case."

Nodding, Loki cranked the wheel of his pole a bit, "That's rather mature of you."

That was the truth. In some respects seeing Balder become so self-aware, made Loki feel relieved. Perhaps, his friend could gain better control of himself and then he would…

"Whoa!" Balder grunted as he struggled a little bit with his line. "I think I got one."

Loki watched as Balder pulled up a good sized trout, cringing a little bit as it flipped and squirmed a little too close for comfort. Balder on the other hand, bravely grabbed the fish with his large hand gripping it tight. The squirming stopped but Loki could see its tail fin jerk and flip as his captor worked to wiggle the hook out of the fish's gaping mouth.

"It's a nice one," Balder said once the hook was free. He held the fish out to Loki, "Wanna see?"

The chair nearly tipped over as Loki leaned away from the gaping fish in Balder's hand, "Get it away from me! It's disgusting!"

"Alright, alright," Balder pulled the fish away from his disgusted friend and dropped it back in the hole, "Go on free little buddy."

Balder wiped his gloved hands on his pants, before fiddling with his hook.

"You aren't keeping them?" Loki asked, a little relieved that Balder didn't place it in a basket or cooler.

"No. Catch and release."

"What about food?"

"What about it?"

Man, Balder was so dense sometimes. There were days having a conversation with him proved tiresome, "I thought you were going to fry them?"

Balder shook his head, "Why would I when Thor said he was smoking a pork butt tonight?"

_Well at least I don't have to eat fish_, Loki thought.

"I'll take pork over fish any day," Balder explained. "Except smoked salmon. Smoked salmon goes just under a nice juicy steak."

If Loki had an appetite, he was slowly losing it now. He didn't hate meat, and he loved the way Balder's face brightened when he thought of meat, but he could only take so much of it. He would kill to have a cake tray or pie cobbler sampler, but stupid Thor was all "sugar and sweets aren't a diet." As if meat was any better. "It gives protein that promotes muscle health and strength." Like Thor was some physical trainer.

Loki sighed and sipped his Tang, taking a good look at the iced over lake, Balder in a snow suit, and knit cap with a fishing pole and a cooler of beer.

_Dammit, _he thought, _we can't prove this stereotype wrong either._

"Next time…we do what I want to do. Agreed?" Loki demanded and Balder all too willing complied.

"Agreed."

While Balder was freed from going to classes still and spent his time tinkering with his crafts, jogging, and exercising, and reading, or…whatever he did, Loki was still going to class consistently every day. He found it harder to focus than usual, but he was scraping by free of being beaten by Thoth's glares.

After lunch break, the students found themselves funneling towards Thoth's classroom, moving in between the spirits. Yui was talking to Apollo about a possible get together around Yule, but Apollo was distracted trying to get through the spirits.

"I'm sure whatever you think will be for the best, Miss Fairy," he replied distracted.

"But Apollo, I'm serious. Maybe a small Yule get together with all of us could be good—"

"Dammit, are you still on Yule? Why can't you leave well enough alone?!" Loki called behind him when he heard the word "Yule" come out of her mouth.

"Loki, let me explain—"

Yui almost ran into Tsukito's back as he stopped in his tracks. In front of him, Takeru ran straight on into someone and reeled back.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Takeru yelled, before even figuring who he ran into. He first thought it was one of the spirit classmates Zeus conjured up, but it was obvious that whomever he ran into was not just an ordinary spirit.

"What the-?" the students' eyes traveled up. The figure was tall, about as tall as Thoth and it was prevalent that he was a god. He seemed older than the student gods, even if he wore a student uniform that was completely unbuttoned revealing his incredibly toned and slightly hairy body with blue body paint drawn into knotted and coiled designs.

The god had a strong tan angular face, with wild long dark brown hair, pointed ears, and a goatee at the end of his chin. His eyes were bright and forest green and on each of his hairy upswept eyebrows were his gold looped piercing limiters, and above his brow were two symmetrical dark birthmarks. He was barefoot, walking around like some exotic forest god.

"Oh man," Loki groaned. "It's Cernunnos. I thought he was still in confinement."

Cernunnos**, the Celtic god of the wild, seemed to have a certain distaste for the company of gods he was with. He spoke with a deep, slightly raspy voice, but his accent was beautiful and harsh. It reminded Yui of the way Balder and Thor spoke; accentuating the "R"s and blending of the consonants pleasantly. "Considering I cause less trouble than you, Loki Laevatein, I should think I should be free to roam the grounds if you can."

Yui glanced back at Apollo, "I thought you guys were the only gods here?"

Apollo sighed. He had forgotten to tell Yui about the "new arrivals". "Zeus had to take in a few more gods. Mostly at the request of the Supreme Gods."

"Yeah, right," Loki growled.

"Wait," Yui's heart jumped a bit at thinking about a possibility of a new school year, "Does that mean I have to be here for another year?"

"No, human," Cernunnos answered, "If anything Zeus will repeat the cycle again with another unfortunate soul. In reality though, he's just imprisoning us. As punishment."

There was malice in Cernunnos' voice, a distinct spite towards the Supreme Greek God.

Loki gritted his teeth, "That's what you get when you sell your soul to Crom Cruach***."

"I didn't sell my soul to anyone, Bastún (bastard)"

"Who's Crom Cruach?" Yui asked. Her Northern Pagan mythology knowledge was non-existent apart from a bit of the Norse. She was still in awe in seeing this…god. Men here were beautiful, but Cernunnos looked…exotic and strange, if not a tad more inhuman than the others.

"The worst," was all Loki said.

Cernunnos's green eyes narrowed on the small red-headed god, "And you are to judge? Even a 'gracious' god like your Balla(1) apparently has a knack of causing trouble as well. "

"Either way!" Apollo interrupted before things got really heated, "Cern-Cern, for the Christmas festival I have to get signatures of all the gods to get them to participate. So…"

Apollo opened his briefcase and pulled out the Solstice sign-up sheet that Thoth had given him. Not at all intimidated, Apollo held out the form to the tall god, "Could you be a peach and sign?"

Cernnunos' eyebrows drew together and he gave a snort of displeasure.

"What makes you think we are anymore happy to celebrate _Christmas_ than the Norse?"

Obviously every god but Loki were confused. There goes this unknown and ambiguous distaste towards anything remotely called _Christmas_ again. These Northern gods really got their feathers ruffled for something fun.

"So…no?" Apollo tried to pin a clear answer.

Crossing his arms over his large chest, Cernunnos' answer was resolute. He stroked his goatee, his lips upturning as his eyes sparkled dangerously, "This is interesting, Loki Laevatein. You see I refuse to sign and give permission to do _this_ unless Crom Cruach does."

"You mean he's here?" Loki asked, a small glitter of fear in his gray eyes. Cernnunos grinned, "Of course, you little nutball. I sure will not thrust myself into these festivities unless he agrees as well."

"So you _are_ his whipping post," was Loki's smart retort. In a rather hostile response, Cernnunos bared his flat-edged but solid white teeth and wrinkled his nose, giving a short growl.

"I keep my allegiances to my kin first. Not to some flakey Norse sprite, a human, a needy Greek, and the twits from the East—"

"Hey!" Takeru shouted, but Cernunnos paid no heed.

"The deal stands," he told Apollo, straightening to his full height looking down upon them with a haughty expression that made him seem more king-like than even Thoth. "Get Crom Cruach to sign, then I will follow. Do you think you can manage that, Loki?"

The tall god turned on his bare heel and marched down the other end of the hall, the spirits seeming to part for him. Loki let out a relieved sigh, the heavy atmosphere the wild god exuded disappearing the further down the hall he went. The students filed into Thoth's classroom, waiting for a few of the others to come in.

"I don't get it," Yui said aloud. "Who's Crom Cruach?"

Loki clucked his tongue and answered, "A monster. His name doesn't mean 'crooked one' for no reason. Cernnunos isn't a bad god though, but ever since he's stuck to Crom Cruach's proverbial hip he's been…bitter."

"What does Crom Cruach do that makes him so bad?" Apollo asked wondering what sort of god he was up against in getting to sign his sheet. His damnable sheet.

Loki's slit-like eyes traveled to Yui, wondering if he should give her a reality that would quite possibly frighten her. Thinking about it, it would be better if she were aware of the danger than to go on about oblivious.

"He takes sacrifices."

Takeru scoffed, "So? I take sacrifices."

"I do as well," Tsukito followed succinctly without further explanation.

Loki rolled his eyes, "I'm not talking about grains or a slaughtered goat. Crom Cruach takes…" Loki swallowed hard, as if acid was forming in his throat, "_Human _sacrifices."

A heavy silence filled the room and eyes traveled to Yui, the most at risk. At first, the idea of human sacrifices bypassed her thoughts. But slowly, the idea that a god who took human sacrifices walked around the very place she roamed formed a pang of fear in her spine.

"H-human sacrifices?"

Loki nodded, "Specifically first born children and virgin maidens."

Tsukito opened his notebook looking through for specific information, "Yui Kusanagi is not the first born of her family but…"

"Tsukito…" Yui warned, her eyes glaring at the moon god, shaking her head, begging him to stop before he started.

"I was able to confirm that she is indeed a virgin."

The girl's cheeks flushed brightly both from embarrassment and pure frustration at Tsukito who just…dropped her sexuality out there in the open. Surprisingly, none of the gods seemed to be too impressed or shocked by this. Takeru however had a question on his mind, "Brother, how'd you figure that?"

"I showed her the unicorn in the forest near the start of the school year. Normally, unicorns are violent and hostile. Unless you're a virgin maiden. She was able to stroke its mane. So she's a virgin."

Takeru uncomfortably looked everywhere but at the human girl, who sarcastically and bitterly remarked, "Thank you…Tsukito."

Tsukito must've been feeling particularly talkative today because he didn't stop, "Yui Kusanagi, I assume you should keep away from Crom Cruach then, you know…because you are a virgin—"

"THANK YOU, TSUKITO!" It took all of Yui's will power not to stuff the socially inept god's notebook into his mouth to get him to stop talking about her…lack of sex life.

"I hope your father's smart enough to keep that horrendous god away from the rest of us," Loki told Apollo. "Not that I expect to him to just start massively killing people right off the bat. He's vicious and subtle. He couldn't destroy his worshippers High King Tigernmas and most of his soldiers in one full blow and not raise alarm."

Loki stopped his tale, seeing the disturbed and scared faces of the others, "Just…be careful."

"I'm sure father knows what he is and how he operates," Apollo assured. "If he could get us here cooperating, I'm sure him playing prison warden for that god isn't far off."

If Apollo didn't sound so naïve on a normal basis, the others would have felt relief, but it was apparent that among them only Loki knew and understood Cernunnos and Crom Cruach.

"How do you know them?" Yui asked the Norse god. Loki didn't look at her, staring in the distance as he thought about his last encounter with Cernnunos. When Loki was young and wandering the Nine Worlds and beyond he beheld the forest god near the valley of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Cernunnos back then was a free spirit and at least gave Loki a smile before running back into his forest abode with the agility of a stag. But the last time he accidentally encountered Cernnunos the active and free god seemed…darker, bitter, as if he had been pounded into submission and complete solitude from the nature that he loved.

Crom Cruach was a different matter. A matter that Loki and most of his fellow Norse gods would rather forget and ignore.

"The gods of the North, the Norse, Celts, and what not are inexplicably intertwined because of the way our people intermingle. We share similar history. It's a simple matter as that. Just like you two Japanese gods get into it with the Chinese gods. I'm guessing you Greeks have had at least one talk with them Persians."

Yui looked astonished. She didn't think the gods outside of this school crossed boundaries and intermingled with each other. In a way, she liked to think that gods would be "ambassadors" of their various cultures, but by the way some of the gods acted at the start of the year you'd think they all had distinct barriers between each other. It was unclear on what _type _of interactions these gods had with others, but her guess it wasn't a comfortable round-table discussion, judging by their faces.

Perhaps though, this meant Zeus was doing some good. These gods were becoming friends with each other, which could mean a more cross-boundary approach to taking care of humans rather than the prideful, isolated divide amongst the divine.

But, as Thoth walked in, Yui was reminded that Zeus, of all the gods, was guilty of having the most pride.

* * *

*Hallingdans is a traditional Norwegian dance that was once part of a courtship dance that is now performed at weddings. It's highly acrobatic. The man dances around quickly using different moves that both prove strength and agility. Near the end a person (usually a girl) stands on a chair and holds a hat high up with a pole. The dancer then has to jump and kick it off to complete the dance.

**Cernunnos, also known as "the horned god" is one of the oldest depicted Gaelic and Celtic deities. He's the god of the wood, virility, prosperity, fertility and the underworld. He usually has stag-like elements (horns) which are here represented with his birthmarks and limiters in my "design" in his normal human form.

***Crom Cruach, is an Irish Celtic deity. He is the god of the harvest and his worshippers supposedly sacrificed humans on his altar for a good harvest year. His name loosely means "bloody crooked one" among other meanings like "crooked one of the corn."

(1) _Balla_ is loosely the Gaelic name of Balder. Loki's name is Loki, not _Loge_ or _Lugh_ as some people misinterpret because those are completely separate entities. It's just...Loki

Sorry for the rather dull and dry chapter, there is more stuff to come.


	6. Prose 6

Disclaimer: Read Chapter 1

* * *

Prose 6:

Dead leaves crunched under Cernnunos' bare feet as he wandered the forest outside the Japanese dorm. He couldn't stand the confinement of concrete walls and steel supports. He preferred the outdoors above everything else. He didn't much care about where he was so long he smelled that fresh air.

The wild god stood straight and tall, but seemed to blend seamless in the tall dark trees. He could observe quietly without going through the effort of hiding. Cernnunos could hear the two Japanese twits talking, the short one whining to his brother.

"Brother, the rice is almost done," the Japanese sea god stepped out on the patio in his kimono opening a whicker basket placed on the burning coals outside, steam rising into the sky.

"Hoo, yeah, it's pretty close," Takeru poured a small pitcher of water to keep the rice moist over the fire before returning into his dorm.

Cernunnos had to give the Eastern gods some credit. Their living aesthetic seemed to blend well with nature. He didn't feel so assaulted. The Norse took from nature to live off of, which he could understand to some extent, and the Greeks just…invaded it.

Just as Cernnunos was about to sit down next to a tall tree to relax, an obnoxious rustling from a nearby bush. He squinted as a figure slinked awkwardly, struggling in his overlarge uniform jacket as he crawled to the unguarded whicker basket.

The tan, sneaky god went about lifting the whicker lid sniffing the rice and—once the figure determined that the rice was good to eat—scooped a handful out and began devouring the food.

Apparently though, the rice was scalding hot and the figure yelped.

"What was that!" the rough voice of Takeru yelled from inside and the intruder scrambled away towards Cernunnos, not looking where he was going. The bigger god stood pillar-like even as the intruder ran right into his midsection.

Immediately, Cernunnos grabbed the perpetrator and placed his hand over his mouth to silence him. The tan boy struggled in his large arms trying to get away.

"Shh!" Cernunnos growled, watching as Takeru stepped outside to investigate. Cernunnos would rather not let a wily little god's screeching lead to him being bothered by the Japanese gods.

Takeru, confused, put the lid back on the rice, taking a quick look at the outdoor surroundings, especially on guard. The Japanese god finally scratched his spiky head and nabbed his basket of rice and retreated back to his home. Cernunnos's grip on the mysterious god loosened just enough for the frightened god and take a large bite out of Cernunnos' hand. He grunted in pain and let the god go, not bothering to chase after him as he scampered on all fours deep into the forest.

Anubis didn't look back. He didn't want to wait to see if that…thing was chasing after him. He felt his lungs sting as he swallowed frozen gulps of air. He wasn't used to this weather. He skidded over a patch of frozen mud, cutting his feet as he stumbled forward onto a frozen lake sliding across on his back. He yelped, unfamiliar with…this substance. Finally, he slowed to a halt. Panting and on the verge of tears from the burning pain in his bum, Anubis remained facing the cloudy sky.

He rolled over and tried to pick himself up, his feet slipping a little. How did people survive in this weather? Even water seemed be against him in this cold. Perhaps…

After a moment of pondering, Anubis planted one foot firmly on the ice and pushed himself with the other, gliding across with ease. Hey…this wasn't so bad. Just one foot over the other, one foot…

Up on the ridge bordering the lake he saw a figure in grey jogging. It was one of those gods. He was clothed in a grey sweatshirt and a dark cap covered his hair. Even so, the cold didn't seem to faze him. He kept his pace all along the ridge, focus ahead.

The god however turned his head to gaze at the frozen beauty of the lake. Panicking, Anubis slid himself towards some nearby bushes, tripping and stumbling-rather successfully-into his target bush. Anubis was a little worse for wear, but at least he was out of sight.

Balder halted his jog, staring perturbed at the lake. He could've sworn he saw a figure there. Perhaps he was losing his mind. It could be a result of just zoning out. Shrugging his concerns away, Balder resumed his jogging.

He had to hand it to himself, he didn't trip as much this go around. Perhaps he could overcome his clumsiness. Being clumsy didn't bother him so much, but in the few moments he wanted people to take him seriously, his oafishness rather hindered him.

_But I'm getting stronger, _he thought to himself. He didn't feel winded as he moved. He supposed that displacing his energy from learning about humans into his own body had its benefits.

He was so busy thinking about the bright side of his suspension that he didn't see Yui turn down the road behind him, in her gym clothes, also wearing a knit cap, puffing and panting as she struggled to jog by her god of light friend.

"Hey Balder."

Balder jumped visibly nearly stumbling over his two feet, "What the-?!"

His shock turned to relief seeing the human girl jogging much like he was.

"Yui, I didn't know you jogged this way."

"I don't," she panted. "As you can see-*huff*-I don't get-*huff*-a lot of aerobic exercise."

Balder chuckled, "You seem to be doing fine to me."

"Easy for you to say. You probably have the heart and lungs of an ox. Either way -*huff*-I was getting cabin fever."

Balder turned to give her some supporting words, but to his dismay she burst out laughing, her red cheeks burning brighter. He frowned, sensing she was laughing at him. Yui took one look at his face, his red, wind burned cheeks, his blond hair stuffed in his knit cap, his several days stubble that for most men would count as a beard, she couldn't help but think he looked like a rugged woodsman of some cheap romance novel. And that image, she found, was hilarious.

Yes, she had seen Balder and Thor grow facial hair that would rival Zeus' during Loki's stupid "No-Shave November", and she had withheld laughter then as well, especially seeing the disgust in Thoth's face.

"What is so funny, Yui?"

She swallowed some air, "Nothing. I just had forgotten how fast you Norse grow hair."

It took Balder a minute to figure out what she meant about "hair". When he figured it out, he rubbed the hair on his chin. He did need to shave. He had foregone his usually easy grooming that gave him a polished appearance, partially because of his laziness. Not laziness, he just had other things on his mind than to take the Bowie knife in his bathroom and hack off those blond whiskers.

"Have you read that book I gave you?" asked Yui.

Balder's reply ended up being sharper than he intended, "I have read it."

"Aaand? Did you gain some appreciation for the human spirit of Christmas?"

"How could I?" Balder's voice darkened, thinking into the miserable world he subjected himself to when flipping the pages. "How can I gain appreciation when I'm forced to see through the eyes of a human. An unredeemable, viscous, disgusting, human. First, he denies the opportunity to give to others relief from pain, actually _believes_ that the world would be better through their suffering! Next thing I know I'm forced to see greed, and then the hunger that ravages the family of a poor crippled boy! I fail to see how I'm supposed to understand humans when they do nothing but hurt others."

Yui was surprised her heart could take the pounding it was receiving double, from her exercise and the dark, bitterness and anger in Balder's tone. What could she say? From the eyes of a god, Mr. Scrooge was reason enough for higher beings to hold contempt for the human race.

"Not all humans are like that."

Balder stopped and turned to face her directly, his blue eyes shining with emotion, "No not all humans are like that. You are the exception."

Her eyes were wide, but before she could say anything further, Balder continued on his emotional rant, "You must be a goddess of humans to have such patience and kindness. You didn't shun me when I attacked Master Caduceus and Takeru Totsuka. You did your best to help me and understand me, when others would not have cared or were too afraid to."

She could only respond by frantically shaking her head, "N-no…I mean yes, but I'm nothing out of the ordinary I swear. Not all humans are like Scrooge. While yes, his…vices…do exist on the human level, but they amplified to make the story, Balder."

Balder looked skeptical, like he didn't believe her.

"Have you met a human before me?" she asked. Balder's expression didn't change.

"Yes, I have encountered humans before."

Odds were it wasn't a pleasant experience. Perhaps that was why he was here. He had to understand love and humanity. If his only exposure to the human race was a negative experience there was no mystery as to why he would be forced to learn about them.

"Do you despise the-I'm assuming-majority of the human race then?" It was a harsh question, but Yui was getting a tad insulted with the surprising hostility Balder was showing at the mere thought of the human race.

Balder's shoulder's slumped as he sighed, shaking his head, "No. I can't bring myself to go that far. I know in the back of my mind that humans aren't the greedy, bloodlusting, warmongers that I've seen, but…"

He hung his head, thinking about the duality of his opinion. He was a borderline hypocrite. He shunned the human race for doing the very thing his own fellow gods did, "I see my own family harbor violent bloodlust with other races of gods and the other giants and gods do so in turn. I do not think I should like it any more with the humans, who seem to desire conflict more than usual."

Yui couldn't exactly disagree with him. She remembered reading in a small factoid pamphlet on a train station human civilization had only been completely at peace 3% of the time. Even now it seemed that once one region established peace, another would quickly spring up violence.

Balder scratched his beard waiting for Yui to say something. He actually hoped she would tell him that what he had seen was not a reality. That she lived in a world of peace. But she didn't. Instead, she tapped his elbow.

"That's why to most Christmas is important. For one day, humans can stop and be with their families and…"

She paused. "You know what? Why am I telling you this? Did you finish that book?"

Balder shook his head, "No…I don't see the poi—"

"Just finish it, and I guarantee you will feel better about Christmas…and hopefully about humans. But I tell you, you will have to power through as close to the ending it gets…disturbing, but I swear it's all worth it at the end."

Balder's rather harsh face melted into a curious one and…despite his worn cheeks and facial hair…gave a wide-eyed childish look, "You swear?"

Yui nodded and motioned over the left side of her chest, "Cross my heart. Now I really need to start moving. The sweat is freezing my shirt to my skin."

The next morning, Yui used her morning flextime to dare to enter the library. Though Thoth said that the students could use the library as they pleased, every time Yui saw fit to enter the vast tower of bookshelves, Thoth gave her a distinct frown. It was like she was trespassing in his room.

At this point, Yui just ignored her teacher and opened the broad doors to the library anyway, finding Thoth's blue eyes glaring right at her as soon as she set foot into the facility.

"Oh, Isis and Christ, what now?" he growled.

"I'm sorry Master Thoth," she apologized briefly. "I'm just here to find some information."

"On what?"

"Some information on gods," she replied. Shouldn't that be enough? Obviously not. Not for Thoth anyway who looked more annoyed.

Thoth closed his book with a snap, "Are you telling me that you have not yet researched gods here?"

"Yes! I just meant our…new arrivals."

Thoth shook his white head, insistent that the human girl just leave him with his reading, without him looking over to see if she was putting books back in the exact place she found them. He was particularly sour when Apollo checked out extensive books on moving pictures. The idiot was fascinated with movies. Apparently to him it was like the dramatic plays of his own time. Regardless, the idiot placed them all back in the Indonesian food section. How he got movies and Indonesian cooking mixed up was beyond him.

"They are not here to learn like the others. You are not required to learn about them."

"But you said we have to get their signatures—"

"Yes, just their signatures. You are not required to engage in extensive conversation."

Yui didn't back down and instead wandered towards the Northern Pagan section, scanning the bindings of a book trying to sort which books would give her information.

"I'm still looking for information on the new gods, such as Crom Cruach."

If she was expecting Thoth to say something smart again, she was wrong. Thoth narrowed his blue eyes, his rather grim frown growing deeper and deeper.

"Do not concern yourself with the likes of him," he said darkly.

"But perhaps if I learn about him and Mr. Cernunnos it would be easier for Apollo and I to convince them to sign," Yui turned to the books feeling at a loss. Even if she found the text she was looking for, she wondered if even such a god could be in these texts. The Northern Pagan section was rather small in comparison to the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Japanese section.

"I would not advise that. Besides you won't find much information on Crom Cruach. Northern Pagans did not regularly write or record their histories or their gods. The Norse did have an alphabet, but oddly they didn't seem to want to record anything. Most information the world knows about the Norse, Celtic, and Anglican gods is just known through folklore and word of mouth. Rather primitive fools."

Yui sighed, giving up. She was going to help Apollo get those signatures, but she wasn't going to be so obvious in her intent in front of a very prickly Thoth.

"Fine…" she said, "What about the other two gods?"

"Again…there is no need to interact with them extensively."

"How could I? I don't even know who they are."

Thoth cleared his throat and flipped the page of his book, "Surprising after Agana Balea figured out who they are."

"Wait what?"

"Yes," Thoth hissed. "He ran into the other two visiting his father. If we're lucky he's already gotten their signatures."

Curious, Yui pushed for more clues as to what the other two gods are. Persian maybe? Hindu? Chinese perhaps? "What sort of gods are they?"

"You can always find out for yourself, I'm not going to spoon feed you. You should have a clear idea of what sort of gods exist in the world, even if they are on the other side of the hemisphere."

Yui paused. Was that a clue? _The other side of the hemisphere._ What gods existed…?

Ignoring the Northern Pagan section, Yui sprinted towards the other side of the library where information on the Americas lay.

"Hey! No running!"

Yui had flipped book over book over book on faiths and mythology in the Americas. It was hard to put it all together. They had several tribes and nations, all with different myths and beliefs. Incredible to have so many different pantheons in one general area. Regardless, she found incredible similarities between some structures of some of the civilizations in South America to structures in Egypt and Persia. Like pyramids. Yet, they had a distinctive style of their own. Her minded trying to set all the civilizations straight. Perhaps if Apollo had met them, he would have a better idea of who these two extra mystery gods were.

She went directly to the Greek dorm to see the Sun god. Although Apollo told her she could come and go as she pleased, Yui didn't want to bother Hades or Dionysus. She was sure Hades or Dionysus didn't mind her company, but to just enter without unannounced just seemed rude. She knocked on the large enamel door. Immediately she heard Apollo's voice call excitedly, "I'll get it!"

Not a moment later the door flung open and Yui was greeted with Apollo's beaming face…and his body in a robe. A robe that was waaay too short and barely managed to cover his…hydra.

"Fairy!"

"Hi…Apollo," Yui made sure her gaze laid straight upon his face, trying to withhold laughter.

"Come in, come in!"

Yui followed her pantless classmate into their sitting room, spotting Hades in a normal black robe. He looked mortified and understanding when he saw her barely containable expression, giving her a look that clearly said, "Yes, we are aware of Apollo's shorty robe."

Yui sat down on the sofa, placing her notebook and bag next to her, watching as Apollo busied himself with putting some sort of hair oil into his golden hair, "Excuse us, we just got out of a sauna."

"That's fine," Yui barely managed to get out.

Apollo sat down in the chair across from her, his legs spread, letting his "little Spartan" air out, unbeknownst to him. Yui blinked, blushing and promptly held her notebook out in front of her, blocking his private area from her view.

Hades sighed in annoyance and stood taking his book to his room. As he passed the back of the couch, Hades whispered in Yui's ear, "If I were you, I'd pick a point on the wall and stick to it."

Sound advice. Yui focused on a little statuette of a warrior woman on a small end table behind Apollo.

"What's up Miss Fairy?" he asked.

"Have you had contact with the other two gods?" she asked. "I was trying to find information on Crom Cruach, much to Master Thoth's distaste, but he did mention you already conversed with the others."

Apollo's eyebrows rose to his hairline, "I have spoke to them briefly, but we aren't buddy buddies."

"Did you get their signatures?"

Apollo shook his head, "I didn't have time to ask. One of the Aztecs was rather amiable but the other seemed insistent on going back to their abode"

"Aztecs?" Yui did recall reading about their civilization, but their pantheon of gods was rather vast she couldn't begin to guess which gods were here. Still, it narrowed down her list.

"Yes, quite colorful folk, but they do seem a bit displaced here. Like Cern-Cern."

"Well, can't we go see them to get those signatures?"

Apollo shrugged, "I would but I don't know where they are in the garden. They seem to be rather reclusive."

Yui drooped in her seat, breaking her focus from that statue…unfortunately. She closed her eyes not wanting to stare directly at Apollo's lower section.

"It's alright though," Apollo said standing up. "I know someone who might know."

Yui watched as Apollo ran over to a nearby polished door and knocked. Apollo could hear giggling on the other side of the door and some thumping. A moment later, Dionysus opened the door just wide enough to look out.

"Apollo, what's wrong? I've got three of those spirits in here who just lubed up, can't this wait?"

Apollo's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

Dionysus smirked, "They maybe dad's props, but let me tell you, they know how to have a fun time."

Rather thinking about the average spirit student having the capacity to…well…do the nasty, Apollo cut to the chase, "Do you know where the Aztecs are?"

"South America, right?"

"No, I mean here. In this garden."

Dionysus shrugged, "Well, yeah. I get some…umm…'cocoa' from their territory. It's on the southwest side of the garden in some jungle. But you have to go very deep. They tend to like to hide."

"Right thanks, I appreciate it."

Dionysus laughed, "No problem." He paused, taking in Apollo's get up and asked honestly, "Hey, why the long robe?"

* * *

A/N: Balder with a beard and Apollo in a shorty robe. I'm waiting for people hit me for those images. But hey, Anubis.


	7. Prose 7

**Disclaimer: See Chapter 1**

**Also, as many of you realize I made Apollon "Apollo". When I first wrote this out I had a hard time calling Apollo "Apollon" so I just gave him the anglicized name. I don't have that problem now, but I just never changed it and I don't want to confuse people even more.**

* * *

Prose 7:

Apollo summoned Pegasus to take him and Yui to where the Aztec gods were confined. They flew to the southwest area of the garden—an area neither one of them recalled ever going to, searching for a forest or jungle that Dionysus described.

Below, they spotted a patch of lush green jungle, seemingly isolated from the rest of the landscape.

"That must be it," Apollo replied, pulling on Pegasus' mane. Pegasus dipped down, flying straight towards the ground. Yui's stomach lurched into her throat as she flew straight down, luckily Pegasus pulled up and eased into a clearing in the jungle.

Apollo helped her off the flying stead and worked their way through the thick leafy foliage and trees. There was green everywhere, littered with exotic plants and twisting trees taller than what she had ever seen. A chorus of calls from colorful birds and insects rang in her ears.

In some respects, Yui was wary. With this thick and heavy jungle with no uncertain amount of wild animals running around somewhere, she probably would never see a pouncing lion or boar go after her.

"Do you know where we are going?" she asked.

Apollo shrugged, "Not really. But I believe in my instincts."

Some instinct. Trudging through the jungle was tiresome and tedious and Yui did her best not to think them lost or worried if they could make it back. She didn't whine or anything, but she was beginning to regret taking this trip.

Eventually though, the thick jungle began to thin a bit, making walking easier and Apollo could've sworn the bare area they were walking on was a path. Wait…it was a path. The moist soil gave way to a pathway to small square stones that clearly led somewhere.

"Hey Fairy!" Apollo pointed to the stones, "we must be close."

Yui let out a sigh of relief. Yet she stopped short, watching as the jungle gave way to a magnificent sight. There, in the middle of a sunlit clearing was a large pyramid like structure, with beautifully carved steps and carvings etched on the sides.

"Whoa…" Apollo gasped, shielding his eyes from the blazing sun gaining a better view. If the Aztecs lived like this…

A figure descended the steps to meet them, looking rather perturbed that there were intruders. As he stopped in front of them Yui took a few steps back. Although the darkly tan skinned man was only a few inches taller than Yui, for what he lacked in height he made up for with pure, thick, meaty, solid muscle. He seemed to be made up of nothing but muscle so big that the white school uniform barely fit his frame. His pitch black hair was cut in a crew cut. His jaw and chin was ridiculously square. His nose was flat and broad, a red spike limiter run through the septum between the nostrils. Black and yellow stripes were painted across his nose, under his eyes, from ear to ear.

Yui was reminded how she felt when she gazed upon Cernunnos. This…god wasn't like the other student gods who seemed more human. No. He was incredibly and beautifully exotic, foreign, and his presence intimidated her.

Yui didn't realize that she was gawking, her mouth open as she stared at the Aztec god. It didn't seem to go unnoticed by the god, his cat-like golden eyes narrowed on her.

"What's with this intrusion Apollo Agana Balea?" his voice was deep and scratchy, his thick dark brows lowering over his keen eyes.

"Hey, Cat-Cat!" Apollo's nickname seemed to cause some distaste in the other god, as his broad nose wrinkled and his thick arms crossed over his even thicker chest. It was a miracle his uniform didn't rip apart at the motion.

"Tezcatlipoca," the god corrected in distaste.

Yui could understand the need for a nickname. The sound of that name alone proved painful for her to work around. "Cat-Cat" however seemed to diminish his godliness by a great deal. Apollo didn't seem at all phased by the negativity Tezcatlipoca exuded. Instead he brightly asked, "Is Quetz-Quetz around?"

Tezcatlipoca nodded, "He is but he is resting. What is your business?"

"Oh…I just need him to sign something."

"What is it?" Tezcatlipoca's rather rigid composure dropped as he seemed curious.

"Oh just giving permission to have a Christmas festival. Or rather a Winter Solstice festival with a Christmas undertone."

Tezcatlipoca's brow furrowed. Apollo seemed to turn up his insistency, "Come on, Cat-Cat. Let us see him. Can we? Can we? Hunh? Hunh?"

Apollo was being way too familiar and it was a tactic that seemed to work. The "hackles" on Tezcatlipoca were raised in discomfort. Apollo even went so far as to give the other god an enthusiastic punch in the shoulder. It was supposed to be playful and light but even the relaxed gesture left no dent in Tezcatlipoca but it very well crumbled Apollo's knuckles, who bit his lip in pain.

"You don't know when to give up," Tezcatlipoca snarled, baring his strong white teeth that looked like they could crack a skull.

"The faster we get through this the faster I leave," Apollo said, hoping that would at least convince him. And convince him it did. It seemed to Tezcatlipoca getting rid of Apollo was more important than his fellow god's rest. Yui had to hand it to her friend. Perhaps he was smarter than he seemed.

"Very well," the bristled god said, clearing this throat. "Follow me."

Yui and Apollo followed Tezcatlipoca up the large stone steps, to the covered pavilion of the pyramid. The stone structure was cool under the shade, escaping the heat of the sun and the humidity of the jungle. There were very few furnishings, but the stone bricks, Yui realized, were inlaid with gold, making the stone surface shimmer like golden water. Tezcatlipoca led them to a large stone basin set in the ground like a tub, containing dark glittering water.

Yui stuck by Apollo as they waited. Texcatlipoca approached the basin, saying casually, "Quetzalcoatl, Zeus' son and a human girl are here to see you."

The water of basin bubbled violently as if it were being disturbed. Inch by inch, a gigantic long creature, a dragon or a serpent, with colorful scales and feathers, slinked out, water dripping from its beautiful plumes as it rose higher and higher, body seemingly endless. It's snakelike head dipped down arching it's long body to be eye-level with Apollo, Tezcatlipoca, and Yui.

Yui stepped back, never seeing anything this large before and looking right at them. She was a little frightened, but both Apollo and Tezcatlipoca seemed largely unfazed by this creature.

Apollo even laughed, "Quetz-Quetz, you know that's not allowed."

The serpent's mouth split in a very toothy smile. Not exactly a comforting image for a human. The plumes on the creature furled up and out before molting and melting away into a big feathered mass. A burst of wind blew the feathers away, and where the giant monstrosity used to be, stood a tall young man.

He was as tall as Apollo, and equally brilliant. Despite being rather fearsome earlier, he portrayed a sense of calm in his bright smile. His eyes were titanium silver, but glowed like the sun. His rainbow-colored hair was short and feathered. On his left ear was an earring limiter with a parrot feather at the end of it. Thin red stripes ran from the corners of his mouth up to the ears. His skin was lighter than Tezcatlicpoca's and overall his appearance seemed more human and definitely more approachable.

"Allowed or not," the god said with a charming smile, "I like the opportunity to stretch every once in a while." The colorful god's eyes drifted to Yui and he stretched out his hand, "I'm sorry to have frightened you. I am Quetzalcoatl."

Yui smiled back at Quetzalcoatl, and took his proffered hand, "Yui Kusanagi. It's a pleasure to meet you." She stopped herself short from saying his name. There was no way she could word either Aztec god name accurately.

"The pleasure is mine, señorita," he replied with a comforting smile. "So what is your business here?"

"A sign up sheet," Apollo said pulling the crumpled and stained sign up sheet out of his pocket. "We are holding a Winter Solstice festival with a sort of Christmas theme."

Quetzalcoatl laughed at the notion of "winter". "Hah, sounds rather dreary don't you think, Tezcatlipoca?" He turned to his fellow god who turned his back to them, blocking himself from conversation.

"If I can come by and color it up, I see no problem in participating. Unless Zeus would rather keep us from the joy of festivals." Quetzalcoatl's self confidence was palpable, exceeding even Balder's on a good day. But, like Balder, rather than seeming self-absorbed, Quetzalcoatl's self-confidence translated to others. Yui could practically see any hesitation and uncertainty in Apollo suddenly drift away.

"Hah!" Apollo joined in on the jovial banter, "You are more than welcome, by my invitation. Thoth made it clear that you are to participate. And I will also need Cat-Cat's signature."

Quetzalcoatl again looked to his fellow god, "What do you say my jaguar companion? I should hate to disappoint these gods because of your stubbornness."

Tezcatlipoca snarled back, "Is that supposed to convince me?"

"Ah, but you see, I doubt Apollo will leave until he has those signatures," Quetzalcoatl gently took the pen from Apollo's inner pocket and signed his own name. "And I sure would like to hear of the endless tales Yui Kusanagi has to say of her exploits."

Tezcatlipoca turned his head, yellow eyes resting directly on Yui, before shifting to Quetzalcoatl. He unfolded his large arms, muttering epithets to himself as he stomped over, hastily scribbling his name and taking a few steps back.

"I really appreciate all this," Yui said to both gods. Tezcatlipoca stuttered in his step for a moment but tried to remove himself away from the group as much as possible. It was apparent Quetzalcoatl was exasperated as he just shook his head before motioning towards the entrance of his stone abode, "Let us take this conversation elsewhere."

Apollo and Yui followed Quetzalcoatl out into the sunny jungle.

"I hope this doesn't sound rude," Apollo asked, "But what are you two in here for? You don't seem like a bad person."

Quetzalcoatl smirked, glancing at the entrance they came out of. "We're in here for fighting," he answered.

"Fighting?" Yui asked.

Quetzalcoatl's blistering titanium eyes fell upon Yui, "Yes. Tezcatlipoca and I have had many squabbles that it wore at the other gods' nerves. What can I say? My comrade tends to find me very antagonizing, and there are days he brings out the worst in me."

The rainbow haired god tugged at his feathered earring, "We can walk the grounds freely, however, as part of our punishment we cannot move more than a certain distance away from each other."

"What will happen if you do?" Apollo asked, his voice low wondering what torture his father had subjected this charming Aztec god to.

"Our shackles pull us back towards each other. Like a rubber band."

Yui bit her lip to keep from bursting out laughing. She covered her mouth and realized her face had gone red. To her embarrassment Quetzalcoatl was looking right at her. She apologized, "I'm sorry, it's just the mental image in my head was…"

"It is as hilarious as it sounds," Quetzalcoatl responded, not at all insulted. "Zeus can be quite creative. He thinks that making us tied to each other would help us gain a better understanding of each other."

Yui got the impression that tactic wasn't working. Or at least not to Quetzalcoatl.

"We don't fight, but the atmosphere is rather…tense on most days," he explained but still smiled.

"Yes, but you can't escape on tough days," Apollo said, feeling for the Aztec god. Quetzalcoatl laughed placing his hands on his hips, "Quetzalcoatl doesn't have tough days, Apollo."

"Good, good! I guess I'll be going though, Quetz-Quetz. If you're ever on the grounds…"

"Yes," Quetzalcoatl nodded, "If you don't mind Tezcatlipoca being dragged behind me kicking and screaming, I will see you again. I don't wish to be cooped up in this jungle forever."

Apollo shook the god's hand, "See you later Quetz-Quetz."

Before Yui said her goodbyes, Quetzalcoatl gently grabbed her hand, "If you don't mind, señorita, I should like a chance to have lunch with you sometime. I'd like to know a little more about you outside of official Student Council business."

Yui was slightly taken aback, but not perturbed, "I don't see why not. Sure, I'm usually free on most lunches."

Quetzalcoatl bowed his head slightly. "I shall look forward to it then."

* * *

Before classes started the next day, at the Norse dorm, Loki bounded down the steps running right for the lovely, flakey, Swedish pancakes Thor made that morning. He drowned them in syrup and shoveled them into his mouth.

"Perhaps you shouldn't sleep late. You'll have more time to eat," Thor advised.

"Shut up Thor," Loki said, bits of pancake spitting out of his mouth. Loki glanced back at his other friend who was sitting on the couch, reading a green bound book.

"Oh thank god, you got rid of that beard, Balder," Loki joked. "I was two steps to sneaking into your room at night and shaving it off myself."

Loki picked up the plate and strode towards the couch, still eating off his plate, "What'cha reading?"

"A novel Yui recommended to me. It takes a lot to make it through, but I'm finding things that I didn't notice before."

Loki made the mistake of feigning interest, "Yeah?"

"Yes," Balder said, his voice rising in excitement. "There's this spirit here. You see he's happy and jovial, but he has this scabbard, but no blade."

"Sounds foolish."

"No, you see he says that it means peace on earth and goodwill towards mankind. If a human can write such a righteous character, perhaps humankind is not lost without us."

Loki's jaw ground, his own encounters with humans weighing on his mind, but Balder's face was soft, almost relieved. He was so desperate to find the good in the human race, despite his sanctuary being destroyed by Christian humans so long ago.

So so long ago.

Perhaps it was time to get over past wounds. If a simple novel written by a _human_ could perhaps change Balder's mind about humans, maybe there was something to this world of man worth saving.

Loki scoffed to himself, causing a concerned glance from his blond friend.

_Fat chance._

Loki reached over and patted the back of his friend's head, "You keep telling yourself that Balder."

Balder closed his book and turned his body towards Loki saying quite abruptly, "What if we invite the other gods for Yule?"

Loki's head jerked back, his face scrunching in a mixture of surprise and distaste, "Why?"

"I was talking to Yui and she's genuinely interested in Yule. Or at least from our perspective."

_Yui, Yui, Yui. Odin's ravens Balder, do you only listen to Yui? _Loki pouted. He looked forward to spending a little small celebration that was just him and his friends during Yule. Having the loud and obnoxious Greeks, and heavens forbid the stick-up-the-ass Japanese was not how Loki envisioned celebrating the end of the year.

"The Solstice Festival is a few days before the day Yui calls 'Christmas' so I don't see why we can't have others over when the New Moon arrives."

Thor seemed to at least accept the idea, "It is a shame we don't have any farm animals to offer for Yule."

"But apparently no shortage of alcohol, right Thor?" Loki said pointedly, knowing that Thor had a hidden ale stash somewhere. Loki was reminded of the seasonal celebrations of home and sighed, "I will miss going to Freyr's winter feast. He always left me candy, while you and your father battled over the Yule Boar."

"Yule's always better with more people, Loki."

Loki scratched his chin, "I just hope it snows then. Can't have Yule without snow...or a Yule log."

He lightly punched Balder in the chest, "Alright, but its your job to bring in the Yule log this year."

Balder nodded, happy, "Of course, Loki. I think I know the right tree."

Balder was on the edge of his seat as if he were ready to charge out the front door, half-dressed, with an axe in hand ready to brave to cold to find that beautiful Yule log and haul it back himself.

"Well don't go get it now, dammit Balder one thing at a time."

Loki was convinced that if he didn't put a leash on his friend now, he'd come home to find a large evergreen stuffed in their dorm and who knows what else. Perhaps everything already set on fire. An overly excited Balder could do incredible and ridiculous things sometimes when he got ahead of himself.

As children, when Odin allowed Balder, Thor, and Loki to go with Tyr to find a great evergreen to use for the center hearth during solstice, little Balder was so excited with his little hatchet that he ran off into the woods. Concerned, Loki and the others went off to find him. But Balder found them.

Dragging three giant evergreens behind him all tied by a string clutched in his tiny hand.

Tyr was close to tears in laughter and astonishment. When he relayed the story to Odin the entire hall was filled with his loud barking laughter at the mental image of his tiny little boy accomplishing such a Herculean task. And one thing was for certain...all the halls in Asgard did not go without firewood for several years.

So, yes, Loki was no stranger to the concept that Balder, even happy and excited could be a great handful.

* * *

**A/N: I've been getting some surprising reviews. I've been getting compliments that this story is somewhat realistic. I do not disagree, and I'm flattered people like that aspect of it, but I'm curious as to what that means, seeing as this story has a bunch of gods in one place at one time.**


	8. Prose 8

**Disclaimer: Read Chapter 1**

* * *

Prose 8

After a particularly grueling kendo practice with Takeru, Yui rushed to lunchtime. She had arranged to meet the Aztec god, Quetzalcoatl, for lunch today and didn't want to keep him waiting. As she darted passed the classroom, Dionysus stopped her.

"Hey Kusanagi," he called out and the two other Greek gods flanked his side. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm having lunch with an Aztec god today," she replied, purposefully not uttering said god's name. She was afraid to make a fool of herself.

Apollo however looked dramatically crushed. There was no subtlety in any of Apollo's expressions. Poor guy. It made it hard for Yui to want to disappoint him.

"But Miss Fairy always has lunch with us," he whined, his big green eyes wide and for a moment Yui thought that Apollo would actually start weeping.

"Come now, Apollo," Dionysus chuckled, winking at Yui, "Kusanagi has a date with a nice swarthy Aztec god. Would you really deprive her of that chance?"

That only seemed to upset Apollo even more.

"It's not a date," Yui tried to correct, but he seemed to be breaking for whatever reason. Hades was even stroking his back.

"Come now Apollo, its just ONE lunch," the ruler of the underworld patted his nephew's head before tugging the back of his collar to get him to leave. Blubbering his protests, Apollo went to have lunch at the usual gazebo with his brother and uncle.

Yui didn't move until he was out of sight, feeling a little sorry. Thinking Apollo just had separation anxiety, she quickly made her to the lunchroom. She didn't think she was nervous, but at some point she felt horrible because she knew nothing about Quetzalcoatl to think she could have a nice long conversation. Heck, she'd be afraid to say his name.

As she reached the entrance to the lunch hall, she spotted the bulky mass of the other Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, sitting alone at the bench besides the entrance, eating small sandwich, clearly not trying to draw attention to himself. The god paused seeing Yui.

"Afternoon," Yui greeted with a wave. Tezcatlipoca stood, leaving his sandwich on the bench, wiping the crumbs on his hands on his chest.

"Afternoon, Kusanagi," his raspy voice replied. He seemed to be less ruffled than the last time she saw him.

She drew closer to the god, smiling pleasantly, thankful that he didn't seem to be in such a bad mood, "Are you eating alone, Tez—er. Forgive me. I can't quite pronounce your name."

Tezcatlipoca didn't look too surprised. Besides Zeus and Thoth, no one at the school seemed to know his name very well. His face still set in a grim countenance, he sighed, "I'm not surprised. I also go by Tepeyollotl, but I suppose that's not any better."

"No, I'm sorry," she replied. The muscular god ran a hand over his short black hair.

Finally, he relented in allowing her to call him by a nickname, "Tezca. You can call me Tezca for short. Just anything but 'Cat-Cat'."

"Do you not mind?"

It was quite plain that he did mind on some level, but not enough to force this human to pronounce his complicated names to the utmost perfection. He rather have his divine named shortened like the Japanese gods rather than have it butchered.

Tezca's eyes darted away, avoiding eye contact with the human girl, "No, I don't mind."

Yui opened her mouth to ask if he would like to join her with her lunch with Quetzalcoatl, but the brawny god interrupted, pointing behind him to the lunch hall, "You'd better get going. Quetzalcoatl is waiting."

Yui withheld a breath sensing that Tezca didn't want to be around his counterpart. Not even a little bit. But despite the two gods being forced to stick closely together, Tezca seemed very alone and uncomfortable being stuck with his ever popular rival for the duration of their tenure here.

"You are right, but I will see you later, Tezca," she smiled waving entering the lunch hall, missing Tezca's half wave back.

Tezca returned to his bench but stopped as he saw a white rabbit sniffing his half-eating sandwich. "Hey!" he growled trying to shoo the rabbit away. The animal quickly hopped off and hopped past the lunchroom entrance to the east hallway past the doorway.

At the very least, Tezca's sandwich was untouched.

Inside the lunch hall, Yui spotted Quetzalcoatl immediately. His rainbow hair was hard to miss. He was sitting alone at a table, his uniform coat slung over and empty seat and the first few buttons of his black vest and undershirt undone. He sat looking calm and suave as could be, his titanium eyes glinting when he spotted her.

"Hey there señorita," he waved her over. "I was afraid you'd have some better things to do than join me."

"No, no," Yui laughed, "I was caught up with the other gods. I'm sure you understand."

"I do," he purred. He gestured to the dishes in front of them as she sat down. "Please help yourself."

The dishes had a wide variety of things; corn tortillas, peppers, avacado, seeds, beans, small strips of meat and most of all, corn. Lots of corn.

"I recognize it is a whole mish-mash of things, but I will say they are flavorful. Thoth seems to get a kick out of our cuisine."

It smelled so good. Yui wasn't one for spicy things, which this food no doubt had, but the fragrance was hard to resist. Quetzalcoatl picked up the flat corn tortilla and stacked all sorts of things in it. At Yui's lost expression, he laughed, "Stack whatever you want. If you don't like the spiciness, put on the avocado. It cools it off."

Well that makes sense. She put a small amount of everything on her plate, but heaped gobs of avocado.

"Did you make this yourself?" she asked.

Quetzalcoatl shook his head, "No, it was magically conjured, but I added a few things to give it that extra kick from back home."

Yui helped herself to a small spoonful, marveling the flavorful taste. It did leave a sting as the spice hit her, but it was muted by the corn and avocado.

She swallowed her food before asking, "Tezca is outside. Does he not eat with you?"

At hearing the nickname, Quetzalcoatl arched his brow. He always found it amusing that Apollo gave his darker skinned friend the nickname "Cat-Cat" and now "Tezca" from the human girl. He could practically hear his cohort rustling his whiskers off—so to speak.

"'Tezca'?"

Yui nodded, "I asked if I could call him something else. I can't pronounce your names properly, you see. He seemed to be okay with me shortening it to 'Tezca'."

At this Quetzalcoatl looked legitimately surprised, "Oh?"

"Yes…erm…unfortunately I'm not too good with your name either."

Quetzalcoatl could understand, but he wasn't one to want to give himself a nickname. His name in his realm was divine.

"Perhaps I can help you pronounce it."

Yui swallowed her food hard, eyes wide in fear. She had a hard enough time pronouncing the Norse surnames. 'Hringhorni' and 'Megingjörd' didn't exactly roll off her tongue.

"First let's start with what you can pronounce."

Yui thought. Hearing Apollo refer him as 'Quetz-Quetz' she knew that was at least the start.

"Ket-zal….Ket-zal-coat-l?"

Quetzalcoatl nodded, "The first part is close. Try Ket-sal-ko-ah-tl. There's nothing hard in my name. It's all soft sounds if you know what I mean."

Yui repeated his name again. And again. And again. She inadvertently sounded his name to a beat to help her, which Quetzalcoatl found quite amusing.

"I must say I like the sound of you singing my name," he laughed.

Yui frowned, frustrated, "Hey! I'm trying."

Smiling, Quetzalcoatl waved his hands defensively, "I know, señorita. And I do appreciate the effort. You are far closer than most others."

"Well, Ket-sal-ko-ah-tl. I guess that's a compliment."

"It is I assure you. I like giving compliments. Especially to pretty señoritas like yourself."

Yui flushed at being called 'pretty'. It wasn't like she wasn't complimented before, but she always drew herself in when a god…who more than likely had their fill of beautiful goddesses…complimented her on her looks. And Quetzalcoatl knew how to turn on a smooth charm that made it hard not to gush at his attention.

Unlike Apollo or any of the other gods, the more she talked to him, the more she realized Quetzalcoatl was more mature, more grounded, despite his rather high opinion of himself and others. He told her stories of his realm and gave her a little insight into Aztec mythology. Possibly more insight than she could receive from a book. The only problem was keeping all the names together. Yui hoped he wasn't going to quiz her later.

Yui in the meantime told him of her escapades so far at the school. Like the summer vacation and the fireworks as well as the Moon Viewing celebration.

"Sounds fun," he said with a whimsical smile. "I should hope to have that much fun during the Winter Solstice."

"I'm sure you'll do something great—" before Yui can continue the bell rang. She paused, giving Quetzalcoatl an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Ket-sal-ko-ah-tl. Class is about to start."

The god leaned back in his seat, making no move. He didn't have to go to classes so he could lounge around as he could. He waved her apology away, "You have more pressing matters to attend to than speaking to an old god. Best to not keep Thoth waiting. He seems to be the type to have his feathers ruffled and squawk when things don't go exactly his way."

"Oh, you have no idea. I will see you later."

She waved goodbye to Quetzalcoatl and stepped out in the hallway and immediately spotted Takeru wandering about, looking confused and upset.

"Usamaro!" he called. "Where are you little fella?"

Did Usamaro run off again? That bunny was as independent as could be. While Usamaro loved his master, Tsukito, he did like to run off when the god was busy with other things.

"Is Usamaro missing again?" she asked and Takeru nodded.

"You haven't seen him have you?" he asked. "Brother is upset that he can't find him."

Yui paused, for a moment thinking it was urgent if Tsukito of all people became upset. But then Takeru shrugged, "Well…as upset as he can manage."

"I think I know where your rabbit went."

Takeru and Yui turned to see Tezca standing from his bench rigidly. Takeru of course had never seen this god before, but didn't question him as he told them what happened.

"The little rascal was trying to steal my sandwich so I chased him away. He ran down that hall," Tezca pointed down the east hall.

Yui turned to Takeru, "Okay, I'll find him. You'd better get to class before Thoth starts it."

"Right," Takeru was about to run off but he stopped himself, "What about you?"

"I'll think of an excuse, don't worry."

She ran off down the east hall and in a brief moment was reminded of how she followed Usamaro to find Tsukito. Months later she found Usamaro to be the perfect buffer between her and the very emotionless god. Still, Tsukito seemed to be very attached to the rabbit. She could perhaps believe if the familiar went missing, Tsukito would've been crushed.

"Usamaro!" she called, hoping the white rabbit would pop out and come to her. She checked in small closets, unused classrooms and underneath benches. As she closed the door to a water closet she spotted a small white thing dart around the corner of the hallway from the corner of her eye.

Quickly she followed him down the hall and turned the corner into a part of the school she hadn't ventured yet. The hall was dark and empty, like it was unused. An unsettling feel dropped in her gut as she slowly scoured the area for any sign of Usamaro.

"Well, well. Is someone lost?"

A dark snide voice with a very distinct brogue accent called from the shadows. Yui turned to her side and spotted a dark figure hidden in the shadows by the wall next to a pillar. He was tall and held a squirming Usamaro in one hand and a bit of lettuce in the other.

"Looking for this?" he violently held out the poor rabbit and at that point Usamaro managed to wriggle out and plop on the ground before hopping away safely back to where he came from.

The man laughed darkly, "That moon god had better start keeping better watch over his things. Else they'll run into trouble."

He stepped out of the shadows and Yui stepped back, even as he slinked towards her, "But I've found something more interesting."

"Step back!" Yui said abruptly, not wanting this…man to come any closer. The air around him was just unpleasant. The god was good looking and slick, but to Yui it was quite plain he was no good. His dark hair was slicked back and he wore a black leather jacket over his dress shirt. His smirk was toothy and sharp, his eyes black pits of the darkest, hollowest obsidian Yui had ever seen. A blue stripe of paint ran from his lower lip down to his chin and black smudges were painted around his eyes, making them seem even darker, if possible. As he spoke Yui could see on his tongue a stud piercing limiter in the shape of a Celtic cross. As the god moved fluidly and dangerously, she was caught by his smell. It was sweet, but underneath that was the pungent odor of rot and decay. For a moment, Yui knew that this was what death smelled like.

"You're Crom Cruach," Yui said flatly, trying not to show too much fear in front of him, but that was hard to accomplish.

The god stopped, "So you've heard of me. I'm quite surprised. Especially…"

He leaned in, nostrils flaring. He sighed in satisfaction, "Oh…you are a human and…"

Yui blinked and before she knew it, he was behind her. Immediately she turned to face him, never wanting him to leave her sight.

"…a virgin. Oh it's been so long since I've smelled one of those."

"Do not come any closer," Yui demanded. "I know what you do to humans. I know you take them as sacrifices."

Crom Cruach frowned, "So that's what's this hostility is about. No doubt those Norse told you all about scary evil Crom Cruach."

"Are they wrong?" she glared at the god. Up till now she gave all gods the benefit of the doubt, but every instinct on her part screamed to run away. Run away and never ever stop. Before she could react he slunk to her side, hand gently on her shoulder as he replied in a low voice, "If they are not, then what? Would you go off and give the other gods the same courtesy of hostility?"

Her nose wrinkled as his smell slammed her senses, "What are you talking about?"

"You demonize me for providing my worshippers what they wanted. Good years of harvest and food. I only took what they offered. What does it matter if a few is lost to save and help a thousand?"

Yui thought that he did have a point, but that didn't make him any less vile to her. "It's barbaric."

Crom Cruach's brows shot up and he laughed darkly, "Not any more barbaric than the other gods here. You see, human girl, your beloved Norse relish in the barbarism, praising those who kill and destroy. Need I mention your new Aztec friends?"

Yui flinched, "What about them?"

Crom Cruach paused his mouth splitting into a disgusting smile, "Those human sacrifices you hate so much. Ask them about human sacrifices. You'll find they too know much about taking human lives. So, little lass, ask them. I think you'll find I'm not the sole god to condemn."

He straightened and swept passed her as her mind was a flurry. Did he mean that Tezca and Quetzalcoatl took human sacrifices as well? Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn't imagine Quetzalcoatl doing such a thing. Tezca neither. And what about her other classmates? Did they too view human life as expendable?

Crom Cruach seemed to relish in getting her upset, seeing that struck look in her wide innocent eyes. A chuckle formed low in his throat. Yui stared at him incredulously. Shaking her head in denial she finally had enough of talking to Crom Cruach and quickly she finally decided to run.

Run away without a second thought. She thought she could hear Crom Cruach's horrible laughter penetrate the hall as she scrambled back to class.

* * *

A/N: Finally I get to introduce the infamous Crom Cruach. Plus a mini-date with an Aztec god-sort of. And in answer to the obvious question...yes Aztec human sacrifices happened.


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